daily report tuesday, 8 october 2019 contents...2019/10/08 · daily report tuesday, 8 october 2019...

Daily Report Tuesday, 8 October 2019

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 8 October 2019 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (06:38 P.M., 08 October 2019). For the latest

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

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

CONTENTS

ANSWERS 15

ATTORNEY GENERAL 15

Attorney General: Crispin

Odey 15

Attorney General: Jainism 15

Attorney General: Official

Hospitality 15

Attorney General: Travel 15

Slavery: Prosecutions 16

Trials 16

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 20

Animal Experiments: Dogs 20

Business 20

Business: Garston and

Halewood 21

Ceramics: Staffordshire 21

Department for Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy:

Chief Scientific Advisers 21



Crispin Odey 21



Jainism 22



Secondment 22

Electric Vehicles: Charging

Points 22

Electricity Generation 23

Electricity: Storage 23

Energy Performance

Certificates 23

Energy: Meters 24

Fiddler's Ferry Power Station 24

Fuel Poverty 24

Manufacturing Industries:

Northern Ireland 24

Mineworkers' Pension Scheme 25

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing

Industries 25

Natural Gas: Safety 25

Post Offices: Burglary 26

Ratcliffe Power Station 26

Renewable Energy: Carbon

Emissions 26

Retail Trade 27

Sanitary Products: Plastics 28

Solar Power: Statistics 28

Wind Power: Seas and

Oceans 29

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

Wind Power: Subsidies 29

CABINET OFFICE 31

Brexit 31

Brexit: Publicity 32

Cabinet Office: Brexit 33

Cabinet Office: Chief Scientific

Advisers 33

Cabinet Office: Ministerial

Duties 33

Civil Service: Pay 33

Databases 34

Election Offences 34

Government Chief Data Officer 35

Government Departments:

Disability 35

Government Departments:

Photographers and

Videographers 35

Johnny Mercer: Crucial

Academy 36

Members: Correspondence 36

Ministerial Policy Advisers:

Complaints 37

Ministerial Policy Advisers:

Conduct 37

Office for Tackling Injustices 37

Reform 37

DEFENCE 38

Armed Forces: Recruitment 38

Armed Forces: Sick Leave 39

Armed Forces: Training 39

Defence: Manufacturing

Industries 39

International Military Services:

Expenditure 40

International Military Services:

Finance 40

Ministry of Defence: Crispin

Odey 40

Yemen: Military Intervention 41

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT 41

5G 41

Anniversaries: Northern

Ireland 41

Business: Data Protection 42

Charitable Trusts 42

Charities: Pay 42

Charities: Taxation 42

China Global Television

Network 43

Databases: Finance 43

Democracy: Innovation 43

Department for Digital,

Culture, Media and Sport:




Crispin Odey 44



Jainism 44



Official Hospitality 44



Travel 44

Digital Technology:

Procurement 45

Disinformation 45

Eating Disorders 45

Electronic Government: Proof

of Identity 46

Football: Disability 46

Football: Finance 46

Gambling: Video Games 46

Internet: Abuse 47

Internet: Advertising 47

Internet: Children and Young

People 48

Local Broadcasting: Radio 48

Mass Media: Regulation 48

Motor Sports 49

Political Parties: Advertising 49

Service Industries: Non-

domestic Rates 49

Social Media 50

Social Media: Abuse and

Intimidation 50

Social Media: Codes of

Practice 51

Social Media: Harassment 51

Sports: Plastics 51

Technology: Conferences 52

Third Sector 52

Tourism: Gardens 52

Tourism: North West 53

Twitter: Disinformation 53

Visual Impairment: Electronic

Publishing 53

Voluntary Work: Young People 53

Youth Services 54

EDUCATION 54

Arts: GCSE 54

Business: Education 55

Children: Communication

Skills and Literacy 56

Children: Day Care 56

Climate Change: Curriculum 58

Crimes of Violence: Education 58

Department for Education:



Crispin Odey 59


Jainism 59

Education: Finance 60

Equality: Education 60

Free School Meals: Surrey 61

Free School Meals: Wallasey 61

Further Education 62

Ofsted: Finance 62

Out-of-school Education:

Radicalism 62

Schools 63

Schools: Admissions 64

Schools: Finance 65

Schools: Governing Bodies 66

Sixth Form Colleges: Finance 67

Special Educational Needs 67

Special Educational Needs:

Per Capita Costs 67

Teachers: Recruitment 69

Wigan University Technical

College: Finance 70

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS 70

Agricultural Products: UK

Trade With EU 70

Agriculture 70

Agriculture: Expenditure 71

Agriculture: Scotland 72

Agriculture: Subsidies 72

Angling 74

Animal Products: Imports 74

Animal Welfare (Sentencing)

Bill 75

Animals: Conservation 76

Animals: Imports 76

Ash Dieback Disease: Disease

Control 76

Beverage Containers:

Recycling 76

Birds: Pest Control 77

Clean Bus Technology Fund:

Wirral Council 77

Climate Change 78

Climate Change: Curriculum 78

Crayfish: Pest Control 78

Crops 79

Department for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs: Chief

Scientific Advisers 80


Food and Rural Affairs: Crispin

Odey 80


Food and Rural Affairs:

Jainism 80


Food and Rural Affairs:

Statutory Instruments 80


Food and Rural Affairs: Travel 81

Electronic Training Aids 81

Environment Protection: British

Overseas Territories 81

Environmental Protection:

Expenditure 82

European Environment

Agency 82

Fish: Supermarkets 83

Fisheries 83

Fisheries: Brexit 84

Food Supply 84

Food Supply: Climate Change 85

Food: Exports 86

Food: Imports 86

Food: Shortages 86

Food: Waste Disposal 86

Forests 87

Game: Birds 88

Import Controls: EU Law 88

Imports 89

Incinerators 89

Japanese Knotweed: North

East 89

Litter 90

Litter: Fines 90

Marine Protected Areas 90

Packaging: Biodegradability 90

Packaging: Recycling 91

Packaging: Waste Disposal 91

Pets: Disease Control 91

Plastic Bags: Biodegradability 91

Plastics 92

Plastics: Compost 93

Plastics: Packaging 93

Plastics: Seas and Oceans 93

Plastics: Waste 94

Ports: Import Controls 94

Rain Forests: Amazonia 94

Rural Development

Programme 95

Seas and Oceans:

Environment Protection 95

Seed Potatoes: Exports 96

Sewage: Waste Disposal 96

Sharks: Animal Products 96

Squirrels 97

Tree Planting 98

Trees: Urban Areas 98

Waste Disposal: Finance 98

Waste: Exports 98

Wheat: Allergies 99

Wildlife: Conservation 99

EXITING THE EUROPEAN

UNION 99

Brexit 99

Brexit: Cost Benefit Analysis 100

Brexit: Negotiations 100

Brexit: Scotland 100

Brexit: Statutory Instruments 101

Business: Northern Ireland 101

Department for Exiting the

European Union: Brexit 102


European Union: Chief

Scientific Advisers 102


European Union: Crispin Odey 102


European Union: Jainism 102


European Union: Temporary

Employment 103


European Union: Termination

of Employment 103


European Union: Travel 103

Food 103

Industry: Northern Ireland 104

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing

Industries 104

NHS: Drugs 105

Ports 105

Social Security Benefits 105

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 106

Animal Products: Imports 106

Bahamas: Hurricanes and

Tornadoes 106

Burma: Arms Trade 106

Burma: Religious Freedom 107

China: Uighurs 107

Christianity: Oppression 108

Diplomatic Service 108

Egypt: Diplomatic Relations 109

Nuclear Weapons:

Proliferation 109

Palestinians: Health Services 110

Prosperity Fund: Brazil 110

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade 111

Seas and Oceans: Nature

Conservation 111

Slavery 112

South East Asia: Diplomatic

Service 112

Sri Lanka: Human Rights 113

Syria: Armed Conflict 113

Syria: Yazidis 114

Tibet: Climate Change 114

Ukraine: NATO 114

Wildlife: Smuggling 115

Yemen: Armed Conflict 115

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 115

Asbestos: Diseases 115

Asthma: Prescriptions 115

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust:

Medical Equipment 116

Bedford Hospital: Finance 116

Bedford Hospital: Luton and

Dunstable Hospital 116

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals

NHS Foundation Trust: East

Lancashire Hospitals NHS

Trust 117

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals

NHS Foundation Trust: Public

Appointments 118

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease

Control 118

Bowel Cancer: Health

Education 118

Bowel Cancer: Screening 119

Brain: Injuries 119

Breast Cancer: Screening 120

Cancer: Children 120

Cancer: Electricity and Mobile

Phones 121

Cancer: Mortality Rates 121

Cancer: Screening 121

Care Homes: Abuse 122

Carers: York 122

Catheters: Plastics 123

Cervical Cancer: Screening 123

Cervical Incompetence 123

Cervical Incompetence:

Childbirth 124

Children: Mental Health 124

Children: Social Media 125

Climate Change: Epidemiology 125

Cochlear Implants 126

Coeliac Disease: Prescriptions 126

Degarelix 126

Department of Health and

Social Care: Brexit 127


Social Care: Carbon

Emissions 127


Social Care: Chief Scientific

Advisers 128


Social Care: Crispin Odey 128


Social Care: Jainism 128


Social Care: Written Questions 129

Diabetes: Medical Equipment 129

Doctors: Surrey 129

Domestic Accidents: York 129

Dornase Alfa 130

Drugs: Misuse 130

Emigration: Children 131

European Reference Networks 131

Eyesight: Testing 131

Fertility: Medical Treatments 131

General Practitioners:

Postnatal Care 132


Recruitment 132

General Practitioners: Rural

Areas 133


Standards 133

General Practitioners: Surrey 135

General Practitioners: Training 135

General Practitioners: Working

Hours 135

Glaucoma: Medical

Treatments 135

GP Surgeries: Southampton 136

Gynaecology: Surveys 136

Headaches: Medical

Treatments 136

Health Professions: Pay 137

Health Services: British

Nationals Abroad 137

Health Services: Foreign

Nationals 139

Health Services: Reciprocal

Arrangements 139

Health Services: York 140

Healthy Start Scheme 141

Heart Diseases: Females 141

Heart Diseases: Health

Services 141

Hepatitis: Health Services 141

Hepatitis: Screening 142

HIV Infection 142

Hormone Replacement

Therapy 142

Hormone Replacement

Therapy: Gender Recognition 143

Hospital Wards: Children and

Young People 143

Hospitals: Admissions 144

Hospitals: Construction 144

Hospitals: Waiting Lists 147

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis 148

Incontinence: Medical

Equipment 148

Infectious Diseases: Climate

Change 149

Infectious Diseases: Research 149

Large Loop Excision of the

Transformation Zone 150

Lewisham and Greenwich

NHS Trust: Experian 150

Lyme Disease 151

Malnutrition 151

Medical Equipment 151

Medical Equipment:

Prescriptions 152

Medical Records: Data

Protection 152

Mental Health Services:

Children and Young People 152

Mental Health Services:

Veterans 153

Mental Health: Children 153

Mental Illness 154

MMR Vaccine 155

MMR Vaccine: Greater

London 155

Montelukast: Side Effects 156

Mosquitoes: Disease Control 156

NHS Property and Estates

Review 157

NHS Trusts: Mergers 157

NHS Trusts: Subsidiary

Companies 157

NHS: Amazon 159

NHS: Disclosure of Information 159

NHS: Drugs 160

NHS: Procurement 162

Niraparib 162

Out of Area Treatment: Wales 163

Parkinson's Disease: Drugs 163

Patients: Transport 163

Rare Cancers: Children 163

Royal Liverpool Hospital:

Genito-urinary Medicine 164

Sepsis: Babies 165

Sevoflurane 166

Speech and Language

Therapy: Children 166

Spina Bifida 166

Stargardt's Disease 168

Vaccination: Children 168

Vaccination: North East 168

Vasa Praevia 168

Vasa Praevia: Screening 169

West Hertfordshire Hospitals

NHS Trust: Capital Investment 169

WiFi: Health Hazards 169

York Hospital: Accident and

Emergency Departments 170

HOME OFFICE 170

[Subject Heading to be

Assigned] 170

A34 171

Action Fraud 171

Action Fraud: Telephone

Services 172

Agriculture: Recruitment 173

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers 173

Antisocial Behaviour 173

Asylum 174

Asylum, Migration and

Integration Fund 174

Asylum: Finance 174

Asylum: Travel 175

British National (Overseas) 175

Burglary Task Force 175

Care Homes: Children 175

Children in Care: Crime 176

City of London Police: Action

Fraud 176

Civil Disorder 176

Crime Prevention: Publicity 177

Crime: York 178

Crimes of Violence: Young

People 178

Disclosure and Barring Service 178

Domestic Abuse 179

Domestic Abuse:

Discrimination 179

Domestic Abuse: Older People 179

Electronic Government: Data

Protection 180

European Criminal Records

Information System 180

European Institute of Human

Sciences: Proscribed

Organisations 180

Fire and Rescue Services:

Training 181

Fire Prevention 181

Fraud: Internet 181

Fraud: Older People 182

Home Office: Energy Supply 183

Home Office: Ethnic Groups 183

Human Trafficking:

Immigration 183

Human Trafficking: Victim

Support Schemes 183

Immigration Controls: EU

Nationals 184

Immigration Controls: Sudan 184

Immigration: EEA Nationals 185

Immigration: EU Nationals 185

Immigration: Migrant Workers 186

Jon Wedger 187

Knives: Crime 187

Law Enforcement Data

Service 188

Leicestershire Police:

Recruitment 188

Metropolitan Police:

Recruitment 189

National Policing Board 189

North Yorkshire Police

Authority: Finance 189

Offences against Children 189

Offensive Weapons Act 2019 193

Orgreave 193

Personation 193

Police 193

Police Federation of England

and Wales 194

Police: Consultants 194

Police: Human Rights 194

Police: Recruitment 195

Police: Recuitment 197

Police: Retirement 197

Police: Road Traffic Control 198

Police: Scotland 198

Police: Wales 198

Proceeds of Crime 198

Retail Trade: Crimes of

Violence 199

Schools: Fire Prevention 199

Social Media: Violence 200

South Wales Police:

Recruitment 200

HOUSE OF COMMONS

COMMISSION 201

House of Commons: Security 201

Parliament: Sign Language 201

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT 202

Affordable Housing and Social

Rented Housing: North West 202

Affordable Housing: Finance 202

Affordable Housing: South

Gloucestershire 203

Buildings: Fire Prevention 203

Buildings: Insulation 203

Community Housing Fund 205

Derelict Land 206

Empty Property: West

Midlands 206

Help to Buy Scheme: Costs 207

Help to Buy Scheme: North

West 207

High Rise Flats: Fire

Prevention 207

High Rise Flats: Insulation 208

Households: Rents 208

Housing Associations 209

Housing Ombudsman Service:

Complaints 209

Housing: Access 209

Housing: Carbon Emissions 210

Housing: Construction 211

Housing: Domestic Abuse 211

Housing: Empty Property 211

Housing: Insulation 212

Housing: Ombudsman Service 212

Leasehold 212

Mass Media: Muslims 213


Ministry of Housing,

Communities and Local

Government: Chief Scientific

Advisers 213



Government: Crispin Odey 214



Government: Jainism 214



Government: Public

Consultation 214



Government: Travel 215

National Holocaust Memorial

Centre and Learning Service 215

Owner Occupation 218

Parking: Codes of Practice 219

Planning Permission: Fees

and Charges 219

Private Rented Housing:

Electrical Safety 219


Pensioners 219

Regulator of Social Housing 220

Religious Hatred: Islam 220

Social Rented Housing 221

Social Rented Housing:

Electrical Safety 221

Social Services: Finance 222

Welfare Assistance Schemes 222

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 222

Africa: Human Trafficking 222

Armed Conflict: Children 223

Bahamas: Hurricanes and

Tornadoes 223

Burma: Overseas Aid 224

Department for International

Development: Brexit 224


Development: Chief Scientific

Advisers 225


Development: Jainism 225

Developing Countries:

Agriculture 226

Developing Countries: Climate

Change 226

Developing Countries: Forests 226

Developing Countries: Health

Services 227

Developing Countries: Poverty 227


Taxation 228


Women's Rights 228

Kenya: Parasitic Diseases 228

Poliomyelitis: Vaccination 229

Syria: Overseas Aid 229

West Africa: Fisheries 230

Yemen: Overseas Aid 230

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 231

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia 231


Trade: Chief Scientific

Advisers 232


Trade: Jainism 232

European Free Trade

Association: Trade

Agreements 232

Export Guarantees Advisory

Council 233

Foreign Investment in UK 233

Overseas Investment: Brazil 234

Overseas Trade: India 234

Overseas Trade: Israel 235

JUSTICE 235

[Subject Heading to be

Assigned] 235

Hare Coursing: Prosecutions 238

HM Courts and Tribunals

Service: Modernisation 238

Knives: Prosecutions 239

Ministry of Justice: Data

Protection 239

Offenders: Employment 239

Prison Accommodation 240

Prison Sentences 240

Prisoners: Childbirth 241

Prisoners: Self-harm 242

Prisons 242

Prisons: Crime 242

Prisons: Discipline 243

Prisons: Ethnic Groups 243

Prisons: Fires 244

Probation 245

Probation: Reform 246

Reoffenders 246

Reoffenders: Sentencing 247

LEADER OF THE HOUSE 248

Carry Over Motions 248

Legal Aid, Sentencing and

Punishment of Offenders Act

2012 (Legal Aid for Separated

Children) (Miscellaneous

Amendments) Order 2019 248

Social Media: Harassment 248

NORTHERN IRELAND 249

Belfast Agreement: Brexit 249

PRIME MINISTER 249

Prime Minister: Chief Scientific

Advisers 249

SCOTLAND 249

Cash Dispensing: Scotland 249

Occupational Pensions:

Scotland 250

Public Sector: Scotland 250

TRANSPORT 251

A34: Accidents 251

Air Travel Trust Fund:

Insurance 251

Aviation: Egypt 252

Cycling and Walking: Surrey 252

Department for Transport:


Department for Transport:

Jainism 253

Egypt: Aviation 253

Electric Scooters 253

Electric Vehicles: Batteries 254

Large Goods Vehicles:

Exhaust Emissions 254

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust

Emissions 255

Northern 255

Parking: Pedestrian Areas 255

Railways: Huddersfield 256

Roads: Mansfield 256

Roads: Rural Areas 257

Roads: Surrey 257

Shared Spaces: Visual

Impairment 258

South Western Railway:

Standards 258

Taxis: Disability 258

Thomas Cook: Insolvency 259

Train Operating Companies:

Safety 259

Vehicle Number Plates: Flags 260

West Coast Partnership Rail

Franchise: Catering 260

TREASURY 260

Borders: Northern Ireland 260

Employment: Taxation 261

Equitable Life Assurance

Society: Compensation 261

Fossil Fuels: VAT 261

Fuels: Excise Duties 261

Income Tax: Tax Rates and

Bands 262

Inflation and Pay 262

Insolvency 263

Non-domestic Rates: Appeals 263


Taxation 264

Productivity 264

Service Industries: Non-

domestic Rates 265

Solar Power: VAT 265

Spirits: Excise Duties 265

Tax Avoidance 266

Tax Avoidance 266

Taxation: USA 267

Treasury: Jainism 267

Valuation Office Agency:

Finance 267

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 268

Government Equalities Office:

Females 268

Sanitary Protection:

Disadvantaged 268

WORK AND PENSIONS 268

Access to Work Programme 268

Child Maintenance Service 270

Children: Day Care 270

Children: Disadvantaged 270

Department for Work and

Pensions: Chief Scientific

Advisers 271


Pensions: Crispin Odey 271


Pensions: Jainism 271

Employment and Support

Allowance and Jobseeker's

Allowance 271

Employment: Autism 272

Independent Case Examiner 272

Job Centres: Closures 273



Carshalton and Wallington 273


Dunfermline and West Fife 274

Occupational Pensions: Erith

and Thamesmead 275


Newport West 276


Northampton South 277


Shipley 277

Pension Credit 278

Personal Independence

Payment 279


Payment: Appeals 279


Payment: Epilepsy 279

Plumbing and Mechanical

Services (UK) Industry

Pension Scheme 280

Social Security Benefits:

Advisory Services 281

Social Security Benefits:

Medical Examinations 281

State Retirement Pensions 282

Thomas Cook: Insolvency 283

Universal Credit 285

Universal Credit: Fraud 288

Universal Credit: Scotland 288

Welfare Assistance Schemes 289

Welfare Assistance Schemes:

Families and Young People 289

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS 291



Business 291


RURAL AFFAIRS 291

Fishing Gear 291


Accident and Emergency

Departments: Standards 292

Health Services: Per Capita

Costs 292

HOME OFFICE 293

City of London Police: Action

Fraud 293

Knives: Crime 294

Leicestershire Police:

Recruitment 294

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT 295

Smallholdings 295

JUSTICE 295

Fines: Surcharges 295

NORTHERN IRELAND 297

Brexit: Northern Ireland 297

International Cooperation:

Republic of Ireland 298

Police Service of Northern

Ireland 298

TRANSPORT 299

Roads: Suffolk 299

WRITTEN STATEMENTS 300



Energy Council, September

2019 300

Energy Planning Project 300

Post- Council Statement:

Competitiveness Council 26th

-27th September 2019 300


RURAL AFFAIRS 301

October Agriculture and

Fisheries Council 301


Update on continuity of

medical supplies 302

HOME OFFICE 304

Terrorism Prevention and

Investigation Measures (1

June 2019 to 31 August 2019) 304

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 305

Trade Update 305

TREASURY 306

Economy Update 306

Notes:

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

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

oral question and has since been unstarred.

ANSWERS

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Attorney General: Crispin Odey

David Linden: [292362]

To ask the Attorney General, if he will publish (a) the outcome of all meetings and (b) all

call logs between Ministers of his Department and Mr Crispin Odey.

Michael Ellis:

Details of Ministers’ meetings are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

There have been no Ministerial meetings or calls between Mr Crispin Odey and

Ministers at the Attorney General’s Office.

Attorney General: Jainism

Gareth Thomas: [292808]

To ask the Attorney General, if he will invite representatives of the Jain community to

national events organised by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Ellis:

Britain’s Jain community makes a positive contribution to life in this country. This

Government values its contribution immensely.

The Government is always keen to work with the Jain community on matters that are

important to them, and we will continue to do so.

Attorney General: Official Hospitality

Ruth Jones: [292429]

To ask the Attorney General, how much his Department spent on refreshments in (a)

2017 and (b) 2018.

Michael Ellis:

The following table shows how much the Attorney General’s Office spent on

refreshments in 2017 and 2018 respectively:

2017 2018

Refreshments spending (£) 0.00 603.44

Attorney General: Travel


To ask the Attorney General, how much his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a)

first class, (b) second class and (c) in total in 2017.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-09-30/292362





To ask the Attorney General, how much his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a)

first class, (b) second class and (c) in total in 2018.

Michael Ellis:

The Government publishes data on ministerial overseas travel on a quarterly basis in

arrears on GOV.UK. Information on costs on overseas travel from July to September

2019 is expected to be published in December 2019.

It is not possible to calculate the amount spent on domestic Ministerial travel without

incurring disproportionate cost.

Slavery: Prosecutions

Mr Jonathan Lord: [294705]

To ask the Attorney General, what steps the Government is taking to increase the

number of prosecutions for modern slavery.

Michael Ellis:

The CPS has had considerable success in increasing prosecutions of modern slavery

cases involving the exploitation of vulnerable people. The number of modern slavery

prosecutions increased from 284 in 2017-18 to 322 in 2018-19, an increase of 13.4%.

These cases are handled by specialist units with prosecutors who have the training,

expertise and experience to deal with this difficult casework.

The CPS prosecutes offenders following an investigation by law enforcement, and

referral to the CPS for advice and prosecution. Early engagement between the

prosecutors and investigators is therefore central to a successful prosecution in all

these complex cases. Prosecutors work closely with law enforcement to build robust

cases, and provide early investigative advice, with the aim of lessening or removing

the need to rely solely upon the evidence of vulnerable victims.

The CPS works with international partners to disrupt modern slavery crimes, and to

strengthen the prosecution response overseas. The CPS maintains an overseas

network of Criminal Justice Advisors to improve mutual legal assistance and

extradition co-operation and work with authorities in those countries to improve their

local capability to counter serious crime affecting the UK.

Trials

Yasmin Qureshi: [294695]

To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2019 to Question

290946, what the average time taken was from referral to finalisation in each year from

2008-09 to 2018-19 where the CPS made a decision to charge and where a trial outcome

was recorded in England for cases (a) relating to sexual violence or rape, (b) focusing on

actual bodily harm charges, (c) focusing on grievous bodily harm charges and (d)

focusing on burglary.




Michael Ellis:

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the average time

to charge and the average time to prosecute in days by Principal Offence Category

and for cases flagged as rape.

The tables below show the total average time, in days, from referral to finalisation for

each year from 2008/10 to 2018/19 where the CPS made a decision to charge and

where a trial outcome was recorded in England.

(A)(I) SEXUAL OFFENCES EXCLUDING RAPE FLAGGED

Total average time (days) from referral to finalisation

2008-2009 294.50

2009-2010 299.69

2010-2011 300.12

2011-2012 304.01

2012-2013 306.78

2013-2014 285.63

2014-2015 320.44

2015-2016 343.78

2016-2017 347.83

2017-2018 363.74

2018-2019 390.79

Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System

(a)(ii) Rape Flagged


2008-2009 321.52

2009-2010 336.94

2010-2011 346.95

2011-2012 344.40

2012-2013 351.50

2013-2014 338.36

2014-2015 383.54


381.20

2016-2017 412.84

2017-2018 460.59

2018-2019 495.24


(b) & (c) Offences against the Person


2008-2009 192.73

2009-2010 191.06

2010-2011 192.09

2011-2012 194.67

2012-2013 193.29

2013-2014 183.23

2014-2015 194.20

2015-2016 198.22

2016-2017 192.32

2017-2018 191.95

2018-2019 209.96


(d) Burglary


2008-2009 200.99

2009-2010 213.21

2010-2011 195.38

2011-2012 190.24

2012-2013 206.28


2013-2014 202.05

2014-2015 226.71

2015-2016 246.06

2016-2017 231.99

2017-2018 246.76

2018-2019 244.81


The data provided above is for the more serious cases in which the CPS has been

required to authorise charge and in which there has been a trial. MoJ data for all

cases in 2018 report figures of between 185 days and 193 days for offence to

completion

The time taken from referral to finalisation has increased for all crime types. This is

due to greater complexity and the increase in electronic material for the police, CPS

and courts to consider. In addition the Police are now encouraged to seek early

investigative advice more often and in particular in serious, sensitive or complex

cases. Early investigative advice helps to ensure that cases are thoroughly

investigated and the evidence to be brought before the court is strong. With the

increase in early investigative advice, CPS is more often involved at an earlier stage

in proceedings.

There has also been an increase in the time taken for a case to pass through the

courts which has also impacted on overall timeliness.


To ask the Attorney General, what the average time taken was from referral to finalisation

in each year from 2009-10 to 2011-12 where the CPS made a decision to charge and


Michael Ellis:

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the average time

to charge and the average time to prosecute in days.

The table below shows the total average time, in days, from referral to finalisation for

each year from 2009/10 to 2011/12 where the CPS made a decision to charge and


TOTAL AVERAGE TIME (DAYS) FROM REFERRAL TO FINALISATION

2009-2010 216.26


TOTAL AVERAGE TIME (DAYS) FROM REFERRAL TO FINALISATION

2010-2011 217.99

2011-2012 225.27


BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Animal Experiments: Dogs

Sir David Amess: [291517]

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

to the report entitled, Attitudes to Animal Research 2018 published in May 2019, what her

policy is on the use of dogs in medical research.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The Public Attitudes to Animal Research report is published every two years and

presents the findings of a survey on public awareness of, and attitudes towards, the

use of animals in scientific research. The report is commissioned by the Department

for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and supports policy development and

public engagement across government and the life science sector on this area.

The Government understands the concerns that many people have about the use of

animals such as dogs for research purposes. For this reason, dogs are given special

protection under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 that regulates their use

in scientific procedures.

Advances in biomedical science and technologies – including stem cell research, in

vitro systems that mimic the function of human organs, imaging and new computer

modelling techniques – are all providing new opportunities to reduce reliance on the

use of animals in research, including dogs. The Government supports these

developments through funding for the National Centre for the Replacement,

Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs).

Business

Angela Smith: [294688]

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

assessment has been prepared by her Department (a) from 1 January 2018 to 23 July

2019 and (b) since 23 July 2019 after discussions at EU XTP and EU XTPO committees

on business supply chains as part of preparations for Operation Kingfisher; and if she will

place a copy of that assessment in the Library.



Nadhim Zahawi:

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before

Prorogation.

Business: Garston and Halewood

Maria Eagle: [290688]

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

assessment she has made of the effect of leaving the EU without a deal on the

availability of jobs in a) the automotive industry, b) the pharmaceutical industry and c) the

retail industry in Garston and Halewood constituency.

Kelly Tolhurst:


Prorogation.

Ceramics: Staffordshire

Paul Farrelly: [287543]

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

steps she has taken to ensure that ceramics companies in North Staffordshire are able to

avoid delays in getting raw materials to factories and avoid incurring additional costs

when exporting goods in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Nadhim Zahawi:


Prorogation.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Chief Scientific Advisers

Norman Lamb: [292859]

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

meetings she had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June 2019 to 31

August 2019.

Chris Skidmore:

Since taking office, the Secretary of State had meetings with the Chief Scientific

Adviser (CSA) in her department twice in this period.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Crispin Odey


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

publish (a) the outcome of all meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of her

Department and Mr Crispin Odey.





Kelly Tolhurst:

Details of ministerial meetings with external bodies are published on the Gov.uk

website here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-

hospitality-travel-and-meetings.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Jainism



invite representatives of the Jain community to national events organised by her

Department; and if she will make a statement.

Nadhim Zahawi:


Prorogation.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Secondment

Darren Jones: [287941]


staff in her Department are on secondment from private sector companies in the

petroleum industry; and if she will publish the number of secondments by company.

Nadhim Zahawi:


Prorogation.

Electric Vehicles: Charging Points


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

she is taking (a) to improve the time taken to allocate grants under the Electric Vehicle

Homecharge Scheme (EHVS) and (b) make the grant allocation process under the EHVS

easier for installers.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EHVS) has been available since October

2016, providing a grant of up to £500 towards the cost of a home chargepoint for

purchasers of new or second hand eligible electric vehicles. Demand has increased

significantly which has led to the Office of Low Emission Vehicles processing a higher

than usual number of applications. As the market for electric vehicles continues to

grow the Government will keep the scheme under review and implement operational

improvements where appropriate. While reviewing the scheme we will take into

consideration the views and needs of motorists and chargepoint installers.




Electricity Generation

Chris Ruane: [290707]

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

to Operation Yellowhammer: HMG Reasonable Worst Case Planning Assumptions

paragraph 5, what steps her Department is taking to safeguard electricity supply in the

event of participants exiting the energy market in the event that the UK leaves the EU

without a deal.

Kwasi Kwarteng:


Prorogation.

Nic Dakin: [292215]

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

Government plans to meet the projected shortfall in electricity supply by 2050 while

achieving net zero-emissions targets; what changes to Government policy will be

required; what energy mix will provide the best value for money for the taxpayer to meet

that shortfall; and how much of that growth in electricity output will come from onshore

wind power.

Kwasi Kwarteng:


Prorogation.

Electricity: Storage

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: [294227]

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

plans to respond to her Department's consultation on proposals regarding the planning

system for electricity storage.

Kwasi Kwarteng:


Prorogation.

Energy Performance Certificates

Dr David Drew: [287892]

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

she has to undertake a review of Energy Performance Certificates to ensure that they

include the potential energy saving of heat pumps.

Kwasi Kwarteng:


Prorogation.





Energy: Meters

Catherine West: [291596]

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

she is taking to help ensure households who (a) don't want and (b) are unable to have a

smart meter installed can access the cheapest available energy deals.

Kwasi Kwarteng:


Prorogation.

Fiddler's Ferry Power Station

Alan Brown: [290735]

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

generation capacity and (b) estimated decommissioning date for Fiddler’s Ferry GT

Power Station is.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1st October 2019 to Question

290419.

Fuel Poverty



households were in fuel poverty in the UK in 2018.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

Fuel poverty is a devolved issue, with each nation in the UK having its own fuel

poverty definition. Due to both definitional and methodological differences, fuel

poverty is not published for the UK level.

Latest data for each of the four nations is available at the following links:

England: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-fuel-poverty-statistics-

report-2019

Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-house-condition-survey-2017-

key-findings/

Wales: https://gov.wales/fuel-poverty-estimates-wales

Northern Ireland: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/estimates-of-fuel-poverty-

in-northern-ireland-in-2017-and-2018

Manufacturing Industries: Northern Ireland

Tom Brake: [294089]

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

discussions her Department has had with Manufacturing Northern Ireland on preparations




https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-fuel-poverty-statistics-report-2019



https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-house-condition-survey-2017-key-findings/



https://gov.wales/fuel-poverty-estimates-wales

https://gov.wales/fuel-poverty-estimates-wales

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/estimates-of-fuel-poverty-in-northern-ireland-in-2017-and-2018




for (a) the UK leaving the EU without a deal and (b) the UK leaving the EU under the

Prime Minister’s proposals announced on 3 October 2019.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Ministers and officials from BEIS have engaged extensively with manufacturing

businesses. We have stepped up efforts to ensure businesses across the UK,

including in Northern Ireland, are prepared to leave the EU on 31 October, through

enhanced national communication and engagement campaigns. Get Ready

Roadshow events took place in Derry/Londonderry on 7 October and in Belfast on 8

October. Through the Business Readiness Fund, funding has been allocated for

actions specifically delivered and targeted in Northern Ireland – in addition to UK wide

applications covering Northern Ireland.

Mineworkers' Pension Scheme



assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the share of the miners'

pension scheme’s surplus that goes to former miners.

Kwasi Kwarteng:


Prorogation.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Bridget Phillipson: [287905]


discussions she has had with representatives from the UK automotive sector on the

potential effect on car production levels of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Nadhim Zahawi:


Prorogation.

Natural Gas: Safety

Paul Blomfield: [287910]

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

she has to amend the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations 1996 to enable more than

0.1 per cent hydrogen in the gas network.

Kwasi Kwarteng:


Prorogation.



make an assessment of the potential merits of replacing the Gas Safety (Management)





Regulations 1996 with the industry standard developed by the Institution of Gas

Engineers and Managers.

Kwasi Kwarteng:


Prorogation.

Post Offices: Burglary

Marion Fellows: [294192]

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

break-ins and (b) robberies at Post Offices there have been in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c)

Northern Ireland, and (d) each region of England in each month in each of the last three

years.


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

(a) the UK Government, and (b) Post Office Ltd is providing to sub-Postmasters to (i)

prevent break-ins and robberies and (b) mitigate the financial and emotional effect of

break-ins and robberies.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and

for small businesses across the UK. The overall number of post offices across the UK

remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant

Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010. This funding allows branches to

be modernised to meet consumer’s evolving needs, whilst ensuring the safety and

security within branches.

I have asked Nick Read, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write on this

matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Ratcliffe Power Station


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

generation capacity and (b) estimated decommissioning date for Ratcliffe GT Power

Station is.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1st October 2019 to Question

290420.

Renewable Energy: Carbon Emissions



tonnes of carbon dioxide were displaced by renewable (a) electricity and (b) heat





generation in (i) the UK, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Wales in (A) 2016, (B) 2017

and (C) 2018.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial

Strategy (BEIS) has not estimated how many tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions for

electricity and heat generation have been displaced using renewable sources, as

without renewable sources the mix of other sources would have differed.

Statistics on UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are published annually by BEIS.

The statistics are broken down by source sector.

Final statistics covering GHG emissions up to 2017 broken down by source sector

can be found in table 3 of the publication: Final UK greenhouse gas emissions

national statistics 1990-2017.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/final-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-

national-statistics-1990-2017

Equivalent statistics for England, Scotland and Wales up to 2017 are available on the

National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) website.

https://naei.beis.gov.uk/reports/reports?report_id=991

Provisional statistics covering carbon dioxide emissions up to 2018 broken down by

source sector can be found in table 1 of the publication: Provisional UK greenhouse

gas emissions national statistics 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/provisional-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-

national-statistics-2018

Retail Trade



steps her Department has taken to support high street retailers.

Kelly Tolhurst:

Government wants all types of retail to thrive, and we are supporting the sector as it

responds to change. This is why we established the industry led Retail Sector Council

to bring Government and industry together to help the sector address key sector

issues and define its future strategy.

The Council is prioritising its work to address the key challenges facing the sector

and is focussing on; costs to business, skills and lifelong learning, employment

protection, consumer protection, the circular economy and the Industrial Strategy.

The priority areas were selected by the industry and each workstream is being led by

a senior industry figure.

In July 2019, the Prime Minister set out this Government’s plan to unite and level up

cities, towns, coastal and rural areas across our country. He announced a £3.6 billion

Towns Fund to set out his vision to re-energise local economies so that everyone can

https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistics%2Ffinal-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-1990-2017&data=02%7C01%7CJacob.Rose%40beis.gov.uk%7Cc55153f37078489e543308d747fd769d%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637057026251049777&sdata=9w%2FM1qej9LjVcVEehSaGTOUemNH1adQ8j6ileLA7zmc%3D&reserved=0



https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnaei.beis.gov.uk%2Freports%2Freports%3Freport_id%3D991&data=02%7C01%7CJacob.Rose%40beis.gov.uk%7Cc55153f37078489e543308d747fd769d%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637057026251059766&sdata=iQseFJNJXPXvlFpIbWGhQhrNj3SlXoPmkksbGZNcGa0%3D&reserved=0

https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnaei.beis.gov.uk%2Freports%2Freports%3Freport_id%3D991&data=02%7C01%7CJacob.Rose%40beis.gov.uk%7Cc55153f37078489e543308d747fd769d%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637057026251059766&sdata=iQseFJNJXPXvlFpIbWGhQhrNj3SlXoPmkksbGZNcGa0%3D&reserved=0

https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistics%2Fprovisional-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-2018&data=02%7C01%7CJacob.Rose%40beis.gov.uk%7Cc55153f37078489e543308d747fd769d%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637057026251059766&sdata=HaeU3fCOxtrjSqO0QCsQyRY8KPYEsF292%2B9COFC1ZfM%3D&reserved=0




share in a new era of prosperity. This included £1 billion for the Future High Streets

Fund, which will support local areas in England to renew and reshape town centres

and high streets in a way that improves experience, drives growth and ensures future

sustainability.

Finally, we are supporting local leadership with a High Streets Task Force , giving

high streets and town centres expert advice to adapt and thrive. This will provide

hands-on support to local areas to develop data-driven innovative strategies and

connect local areas to relevant experts.

Sanitary Products: Plastics



discussions she has had with feminine hygiene manufactures on the removal of plastics

from all women’s sanitary products.

Nadhim Zahawi:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: On 16 April this year, the Government announced

it will fully fund a scheme to provide access to free period products in schools and

colleges in England. We are developing this scheme in conjunction with schools and

16-19 education providers to ensure it best meets the needs of all learners. We are

committed to encouraging the use of sustainable products where possible and will

work with stakeholders to explore whether this can be integrated into the scheme. In

addition, in light of the period poverty initiative, NHS Supply Chain plans to widen the

scope of the sanitary products available to the NHS. This will include focusing on

providing more sustainable, non-plastic products such as menstrual cups and

washable sanitary towels.

The Resources and Waste Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to reduce

plastic pollution and to move towards a more circular economy. The strategy outlines

the actions we will take to encourage producers to take more responsibility for the

lifespan of their products and make sure these are more carefully designed with

resource efficiency and waste prevention in mind. Our ambition is to eliminate all

avoidable plastic waste throughout the lifetime of the 25 Year Environment Plan, and

for the most problematic plastics we are going faster. We have already made good

progress and will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and

materials to take a systematic approach to reducing the use of unnecessary single-

use plastic products.

Solar Power: Statistics


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

Department is taking to ensure that Ofgem is able to collate accurate data on the

installation of solar power units.



Kwasi Kwarteng:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: The Solar photovoltaics deployment report,

published on the gov.uk website, provides information on solar photovoltaic capacity

in the United Kingdom. It currently includes solar installations reported in BEIS' major

power producers survey, the Renewable Energy Planning Database, the

Microgeneration Certification Scheme database, and those subsidised by the

Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariff, and Contracts for Difference. It does not

currently include unsubsidised solar installations below 1MW capacity that are not

registered on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme database, although we are

reviewing data sources to improve coverage.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans


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

the offshore wind farm constraint payments made by the National Grid Electricity

Systems Operator in each month since April 2019.


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

average value of constraint payments made by National Grid Electricity Systems

Operator (NGESO) was to (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind energy companies in each

month since NGESO was created.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO) publishes details of constraint

payments by generation type in its ‘Monthly Balancing Services Summary’, which is

available at: https://www.nationalgrideso.com/balancing-data/system-balancing-

reports The addition published on 30 September 2019 contains the latest data on

constraint payments made since NGESO was created on 1st April 2019, and the

sections on ‘Constraint actions by fuel type’ and ‘Wind generation’ are most relevant.

Detailed information on constraint payments to individual generation projects is

published by Elexon, and is available at:

https://www.bmreports.com/bmrs/?q=balancing/

Wind Power: Subsidies


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

average subsidy payment per megawatt hour of energy produced was to (a) onshore and

(b) offshore wind companies in each month since January 2017.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

The average subsidy payment (1)(2)(3) to onshore and offshore wind companies per

megawatt hour of electricity produced each month was:




ONSHORE WIND(£/MWH) OFFSHORE WIND (£/MWH)

Jan 2017 52.04 84.87

Feb 2017 51.76 84.93

Mar 2017 51.31 84.67

Apr 2017 52.26 87.71

May 2017 52.30 88.28

Jun 2017 52.26 88.63

Jul 2017 51.81 88.75

Aug 2017 52.07 89.72

Sep 2017 52.21 89.16

Oct 2017 51.92 89.93

Nov 2017 52.21 89.67

Dec 2017 51.64 88.87

Jan 2018 51.50 89.84

Feb 2018 51.47 89.43

Mar 2018 51.59 88.45

Apr 2018 52.79 93.45

May 2018 52.64 93.35

Jun 2018 53.79 93.37

Jul 2018 53.27 93.36

Aug 2018 52.51 92.97

Sep 2018 52.98 91.85

Oct 2018 52.56 92.10

Nov 2018 52.38 92.41

Dec 2018 52.38 92.11

Jan 2019 52.06 92.68

Feb 2019 51.93 95.10

ONSHORE WIND(£/MWH) OFFSHORE WIND (£/MWH)

Mar 2019 52.83 95.88

(1) Subsidies are the Renewables Obligation, Contracts for Difference (CfD), and

Feed-in Tariff (FIT). The bulk of the above support is from the Renewables

Obligation. Going forward, we expect the average subsidy payment figures to fall as

more projects are supported under the competitive Contracts for Difference scheme*.

(2) Includes payments to domestic and community FIT schemes for onshore wind.

(3) Spend is in real terms.

For the Renewables Obligation, the full value of support is made up of a main

payment and a much smaller subsidiary payment. As the value of the subsidiary

payment is not yet known for any of the years, the above figures include only the

main payment.

Data for April 2019 onwards are not yet available.

*The results of the third Contracts for Difference auction were announced on 20

September 2019. 12 new renewable electricity projects were awarded CfDs (6

offshore wind, 4 Remote Island Wind and two Advanced Conversion Technology

projects), adding around 6GW of new clean electricity to the grid from 2023. The

costs of offshore wind have come down by around two thirds since the first allocation

round in 2015, with projects now being delivered for as little as £39.65/MWh. This is

the first time that renewables are expected to come online below market prices.

CABINET OFFICE

Brexit

Antoinette Sandbach: [291057]

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he

will publish (a) the most up-to-date version of the 1 August 2019 Operation

Yellowhammer document and (b) the dates on which each version of that document was

circulated; what the distribution list is for that document; and for what reasons the

assumptions in each version changed.

Michael Gove:


Prorogation.

Stephen Doughty: [293594]

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how

many times an end to end assessment and proposed actions has been prepared since 1

January 2018 in response to the effect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, and if he

will place in the House of Commons library the most recent document.



Kevin Foster:

Today (08/10/2019) The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster laid the No Deal

Readiness Report in the Houses of Parliament. This document outlines how the

Government is preparing for an outcome in which we leave without a deal.

Brexit: Publicity

Layla Moran: [292985]

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office,

pursuant to the Answer of 01 October 2019 to Question 291474 on Get Ready for Brexit

Advertising, when the Government plans to publish regular spending figures for the Get

Ready for Brexit advertising campaign.

Kevin Foster:

The Cabinet Office has undertaken to publish information relating to ongoing

expenditure on the public information campaign as part of the department’s monthly

data transparency releases. The published information will be available on a regular

basis on GOV.UK here: (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-

spend-data)

Mary Creagh: [293503]


pursuant to the Answer of 1 October 2019 to Question 291346 on the Get ready for Brexit

campaign, if he will publish (a) the details of all contracts over £10,000 awarded by

Manning Gottlieb OMD on behalf of the Government and (b) a list of where and when all

Get ready for Brexit campaign events have been held.

Kevin Foster:

The Cabinet Office has undertaken to publish information relating to ongoing

expenditure as part of the department’s monthly data transparency releases. The

published information will be available on a regular basis on GOV.UK here:

(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data)

“Get Ready for Brexit” is a public information campaign that provides the facts

citizens and businesses need to know about the preparations they need to take to be

ready for when the UK leaves the EU. The campaign has many direct and local

elements including business roundtables, public meetings, ministerial visits and local

authority events. A full list of the events that have taken place since the campaign

launched on 1 September can be found at Annex A.

Attachments:

1. ANNEX A [Annex A - Campaign Events .xlsx]



Cabinet Office: Brexit



many meetings (a) members of the Cabinet and (b) their predecessors have had with EU

officials in each of the last twelve months.

Kevin Foster:


Prorogation.

Cabinet Office: Chief Scientific Advisers



many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31

August 2019.

Kevin Foster:

I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answer given to Question 198752 on 7

January 2019.

Cabinet Office: Ministerial Duties

Ian C. Lucas: [294104]

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he

will publish the (a) meetings and (b) subject matter of each such meeting he has attended

on matters relating to his ministerial responsibilities since his appointment.

Kevin Foster:

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published quarterly in

arrears on GOV.UK.

Civil Service: Pay

Angela Crawley: [294201]

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Minister for the Cabinet Office, for

what reasons the civil service pay increase, announced in June 2019 is not in line with

inflation.


To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Minister for the Cabinet Office, for

what reasons hon. Members received a pay rise of 2.7 per cent which was backdated to

April 2019 and civil servants received a pay increase of 1.84 per cent which was

backdated to June 2019.







To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he

will take steps to align the pay of civil servants in England, Scotland and Wales to the

level of pay of civil servants employed in Scotland.

Simon Hart:

Civil service pay, excluding the Senior Civil Service, is delegated to departments and

to the Devolved Administrations.

For 2019/20, government departments have flexibility to make average pay

settlements of up to 2%, depending on their workforce requirements and affordability.

Any department wishing to pay an award above 2% is able to submit a business case

to HM Treasury and Cabinet Office for ministerial approval. Departments are also

able to meet the costs of increases to the National Living Wage outside of the 2%.

MPs’ pay is set by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which is

independent from government.

Databases


To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what

discussions he has had with the Prime Minister and his advisers concerning centralisation

of data collection in Government.

Simon Hart:

The details of meetings between Ministers and their advisers are confidential.

Having a comprehensive anonymised view of how people interact with government

services online is an important part of developing services which provide information

in a way users understand.

Election Offences

Jo Stevens: [294184]


whether the Government plans to review the maximum fine that can be levied for

breaching electoral law.

Kevin Foster:

The Electoral Commission is the independent regulatory body responsible for

ensuring that elections and referendums are run effectively and in accordance with

the law.

The Commission has civil sanctioning powers that apply to referendums and

elections. More serious criminal matters can and are referred to the police, and then

considered by a court of law.

The Electoral Commission has recommended that its sanctioning powers be

increased and the Government is considering this.




Government Chief Data Officer

Jo Platt: [293725]


pursuant to the Answer of 3 September to Question 286366 and with reference to page

10 of the Government Transformation Strategy, which Minister made the decision to

extend the objective of appointing a Chief Data Officer from by 2020 to in 2020; and on

what date that decision was made.

Simon Hart:

No decision has been made regarding an extension of the objective of appointing a

Chief Data Officer It remains our intention to appoint the Chief Data Officer in the

timescales set out in the Government Transformation Strategy.

Government Departments: Disability

Rosie Cooper: [294117]


estimate he has made of the number of disabled people in each Government Department

that left work as a result of a (a) disability and (b) long-term health condition in (i) 2016,

(ii) 2017 and (iii) 2018.

Simon Hart:

Information on the number of people in each government department who left work

as a result of a disability or a long-term health condition is not held centrally by

Cabinet Office.

The Civil Service is committed to becoming the UK’s most inclusive employer by

2020; which means attracting and retaining the best talent from all diverse

backgrounds, including those with a disability.

To achieve this, Sir Philip Rutnam, CS Disability Champion, has set out a clear vision

for a disability confident and disability inclusive Civil Service; with a specific priority to

develop and retain disabled talent. These include; ensuring our disabled staff have

access to effective and timely workplace adjustments and access to mainstream

talent development programmes and positive action schemes to enable disabled staff

to thrive and realise their full potential. https://civilservice.blog.gov.uk/2016/03/22/my-

priorities-as-civil-service-disability-champion/

The Civil Service publishes annual statistics on the number of disabled employees.

These show that the proportion of civil servants who are declared disabled has

increased every year since 2010, from 7.6% in 2010 to 11.7% in 2019.

Government Departments: Photographers and Videographers



many (a) contracted and (b) employed photographers and videographers were employed

by each government department in the last 12 months.



https://civilservice.blog.gov.uk/2016/03/22/my-priorities-as-civil-service-disability-champion/






many times (a) photographs and (b) videos produced for HMG official purposes were

provided to the Conservative Party in the last 12 months; and what the cost of

compensating HMG was for those rights.

Kevin Foster:


Prorogation.

Johnny Mercer: Crucial Academy

Jon Trickett: [292099]


when his Department first received a communication from the hon. Member for Plymouth

Moor View on the (a) continuation and (b) termination of his role at Crucial Academy Ltd.

Jon Trickett: [292100]


when his Department first received a communication from the hon. Member for Plymouth

Moor View on the (a) continuation and (b) termination of his role at Crucial Academy Ltd.

Kevin Foster:

The Ministerial Code sets out the process by which Ministers should declare and

manage potential conflicts of interest, working with their Permanent Secretary and the

independent adviser on Ministers’ interests.

As part of this process the Minister declared his directorship in Crucial Academy

following his appointment and has resigned from this role. Whilst this process has

been underway, the Ministry of Defence put in place measures to avoid any potential

conflict. Sir Alex Allan, the independent adviser, has not raised any concerns about

the conduct and there has been no breach of the Ministerial Code.

Members: Correspondence



when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Wakefield of 3

September 2019 to the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill, on the Get ready for Brexit

campaign.

Kevin Foster:

I apologise for the delay in replying to the letter from the hon. Member and can

assure her she will receive a response as soon as possible.





Ministerial Policy Advisers: Complaints



many complaints in relation to the conduct of Special Advisers in each government

department were submitted to the (a) Ethics and Propriety team and (b) the Cabinet

Secretary since the formation of the Government in 2017.

Kevin Foster:

The responsibility for the management and conduct of Special Advisers, including

discipline, rests with the Minister who made the appointment, as per paragraph 3.3 of

the Ministerial Code.

Ministerial Policy Advisers: Conduct

Tulip Siddiq: [292307]


whether his Department has any plans to update the special advisers' code of conduct.

Kevin Foster:

The last update to the Special Adviser’s Code of Conduct was in December 2016.

This document is kept under regular review.

In December 2018, the Minister for the Constitution announced work to review how

Special Adviser’s terms can be made clearer and consistent (19 December 2018 Vol.

651, [HCWS1216]). This work is ongoing.

Office for Tackling Injustices

Stephanie Peacock: [293689]


progress he has made on the establishment of the Office for Tackling Injustices; and if he

will make a statement.

Oliver Dowden:

We are considering how best to take forward this work in the light of the new

Government’s domestic priorities and will provide an update in due course.

Reform



recent discussions he has had with Ministers in his Department on (a) reform of electoral

law and (b) data protection.



recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and

Sport on (a) data protection and (b) electoral reform.






Kevin Foster:

The Cabinet Office is taking a cross-Government approach to the safeguarding of our

electoral processes through the Defending Democracy programme and we continue

to work closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

This work is led within the Cabinet Office by the Minister for the Constitution, under

the oversight of the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

The Government remains committed to ensuring our electoral law is fit for purpose,

now and into the future. In May this year, the Government announced we would be

launching a consultation on electoral integrity. As part of that, we are considering

measures to strengthen the regulatory framework around elections and ensure they

are fully up to date for a modern electoral system. We are also awaiting the

publication of the final report from the Law Commission on their review of electoral

law, which we understand will be published early next year, and will look at their

recommendations and comments with interest.

DCMS is responsible for data protection policy and sponsors the independent

regulator of the Data Protection Act 2018, the Information Commissioner's Office

(ICO). The ICO are consulting on a draft framework code of practice for the use of

personal data in political campaigning, which concluded on 04 October.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Recruitment


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

and retain service personnel.

Mark Lancaster:

The Government is committed to maintaining the overall size of the Armed Forces.

The Armed Forces continue to meet all their current commitments, keeping the

country and its interests safe. They are fully funded to meet their target strength and

we continue to increase funding to Defence year on year.

The Armed Forces have active and targeted recruitment campaigns which are

proving effective; intake to the UK Regular Armed Forces was 13,520 in the 12

months to 1 July 2019, an increase of 13.4% compared with the same period in 2018.

Outflow from the Regular Armed Forces was 14,880 in the 12 months to July 2019,

remaining constant with the same period last year. However, we are not complacent;

we closely monitor the impact of Service life on individuals, particularly in areas

where there are shortages. Each Service has developed plans to manage this and

the proportion of personnel who breach their Service harmony guidelines has

reduced across all Services and ranks for the last five years, reflecting the innovative

approaches and pro-active management of this issue.


Armed Forces: Sick Leave

Jim Shannon: [294243]

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

sickness absence among women in the armed forces in the latest period for which figures

are available.

Johnny Mercer:

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the health and wellbeing of its personnel very

seriously. A Health and Wellbeing Strategy for all MOD employees, military and

civilian, was published in mid-2015 (updated in August 2016) and is designed to

provide guidance to the Chain of Command and civilian line managers on how to

manage the health needs, both mental and physical, of their people. The aim is to

maximise the number of people fit to work, managing people back to work after a

period of sickness, so that they are fit and able to meet the requirements of Defence

outputs, including operational effectiveness.

Whilst the MOD records the medical employability and deployability of Service

personnel, more specific information about the level of sickness absence among

women - or men - in the Armed Forces is not held centrally. As at 1 May 2019,

medical employability for the trained UK Armed Forces was 98 per cent, with a

male:female split of 98:97% respectively.

Armed Forces: Training


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

recruits undertaking physical training courses.

Johnny Mercer:

We take our duty of care to our personnel very seriously, but risk is inherent in many

activities carried out by the Armed Forces. This risk is rendered as low as reasonably

practicable during training by ensuring that its design and delivery are subject to strict

safety procedures and rigorous risk analysis. Training programmes are also subject

to internal or external assurance and audit inspections including by OFSTED.

On 1 April 2015, we established the Defence Safety Authority which brings together

the Defence Safety Regulators and the Accident Investigation Branch, providing

independent assurance to the Secretary of State in accordance with his health, safety

and environmental policy statement.

Defence: Manufacturing Industries


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

maintain the capabilities of UK defence manufacturing.




Anne-Marie Trevelyan:

On 14 March 2019 (HCWS1411), we provided an update to Parliament on our

ambitious Defence Prosperity Programme which includes work to sustain an

internationally competitive and productive UK Defence sector. Since the 2015

Strategic Defence and Security Review introduced a new National Security Objective

to Promote UK Prosperity we have published strategies for Shipbuilding and Combat

Air and refreshed our Defence Industrial Policy with a new emphasis on supporting

growth and competitiveness.

International Military Services: Expenditure


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons IMS Ltd paid a dividend of £5

million in 2010 to the Secretary of State for Defence; and for what purposes that money

was used.


Any dividends from investments are allocated in line with our normal financial and

capability planning processes.

International Military Services: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons IMS Ltd changed its auditors

in 2016 after 30 years alongside the implementation date of the Joint Comprehensive

Plan of Action.


The appointment of auditors is a matter for IMS Ltd as a private company.

Ministry of Defence: Crispin Odey


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish (a) the outcome of all

meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of his Department and Mr Crispin Odey.

Johnny Mercer:

There are no records of meetings between Ministry of Defence (MOD) Ministers and

Mr Crispin Odey. However, the MOD publishes in arrears details of Ministers'

meetings on a quarterly basis at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-

meetings-with-external-organisations-in-the-ministry-of-defence

The following details can be found in the returns:

• The date the Minister attended the meeting




• The name of the organisation or individuals who attended the meeting

• The purpose of the meeting

Please note that phone calls are not covered in these disclosures.

Yemen: Military Intervention


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department was informed that the

Saudi Arabian land forces had been deployed to Yemen.

Mark Lancaster:

The Saudi Arabian authorities do not routinely inform us of their military deployments.

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

5G

Dr Sarah Wollaston: [291573]

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

taking to introduce safety tests on the proposed 5G pilot projects.

Matt Warman:

Safety must always be paramount in technological developments and there is no

credible evidence 5G is harmful to human health. All proposed 5G Testbeds and

Trials (5GTT) projects have to comply with the guidelines published by the

International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. ICNIRP is formally

recognised by the World Health Organization. Public Health England’s Centre for

Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards takes the lead on public health

matters associated with radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, or radio waves.

The 5GTT has strict expectations that all grant funded projects will adhere to ICNIRP

guidelines. A considerable amount of research has been carried out on radio waves

and per PHE’s advice we anticipate no negative effects on public health.

Anniversaries: Northern Ireland

Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson: [287496]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to

support events in Great Britain to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland in 2021.

Nicky Morgan:


Prorogation.




Business: Data Protection

Daniel Zeichner: [290718]

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

Department has made of the number of data flow contractual clauses which will need to

be arranged by businesses in the UK with business in the EU in the event of the UK

leaving the EU (a) with and (b) without a deal.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.

Charitable Trusts

Vicky Foxcroft: [294737]

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

Department is taking to encourage more (a) female, (b) BAME and (c) working class

people to become charity trustees.

Nicky Morgan:


Prorogation.


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

Department holds on the number and proportion of (a) female, (b) BAME and (c) working

class charity trustees.

Nicky Morgan:


Prorogation.

Charities: Pay

Eddie Hughes: [293706]

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

Department has made of trends in the level of remuneration for chief executives in the

charity sector in the last five years.

Nicky Morgan:


Prorogation.

Charities: Taxation


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to

appoint a Principal Regulator for Exempt Charities using the community benefit society

legal form; and if she will make a statement.






Nicky Morgan:

An appropriate body could not be found that was willing and able to take on the role

of Principal Regulator for charitable community benefit societies. Therefore, there are

currently no plans to appoint a Principal Regulator for these charities. However we

will keep this position under review. The Charities Act 2006 does not require the

appointment of a principal regulator and exempt charities are still bound by the

general principles of charity law.

China Global Television Network

Louise Haigh: [292954]

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

expected to report on its investigation of whether CGTN's coverage of Hong Kong

protests broke broadcasting rules.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.

Databases: Finance

Jo Platt: [293727]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her

Department has allocated to the (a) creation and (b) implementation of the Government

Data Strategy.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.

Democracy: Innovation

Alex Norris: [292305]


respond to the invitation of 17 June 2019 from the all-party Parliamentary group on

deliberative democracy to meet them to discuss progress on the innovation in democracy

project; and if she will make a statement.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Chief Scientific Advisers


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

she had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.





Nigel Adams:

The Chief Scientific Adviser attended one meeting with the Secretary of State and

other senior officials.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Crispin Odey


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

the outcome of all meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of her Department and

Mr Crispin Odey.

Nigel Adams:

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

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Jainism


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

representatives of the Jain community to national events organised by her Department;

and if she will make a statement.

Helen Whately:





Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Official Hospitality


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

Department spent on refreshments in (a) 2017 and (b) 2018.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Travel


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

Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) first class, (b) second class and (c) in total in

2017.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.






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


2018.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.

Digital Technology: Procurement

Chi Onwurah: [291017]

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

has made of the potential merits of creating a standardised procurement code for

privately developed algorithms used in the public sector which includes mandatory

human rights, data protection and equality impact assessments.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.

Disinformation

Ian Austin: [294108]


Department is taking to tackle the circulation of fake content online.

Matt Warman:

The Online Harms White Paper set out the Government's plans for world-leading

legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. We intend to

establish a new statutory duty of care on companies towards their users, overseen by

an independent regulator, to ensure companies have appropriate processes in place

to deal with harmful content on their service, and keep their users safe.

Disinformation is one of the harms proposed to be in scope of the regulator.

The White Paper also set out a commitment for Government to develop a new online

Media Literacy Strategy. The strategy will help citizens to think critically about the

content that they are consuming, and to better identify disinformation online.

Eating Disorders


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

assessment his Department has made of the effect on levels of (a) bulimia and (b)

anorexia nervosa of the portrayal of models in the fashion and beauty industry.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.





Electronic Government: Proof of Identity

Jo Platt: [291084]


recent communications he has received from each Gov.UK Verify provider on their

continued participation in the scheme.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.

Football: Disability

Ben Bradley: [292990]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her

Department has allocated to Powerchair Football in each of the last five years.

Nigel Adams:

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone is able to access sport and

physical activity, including those with a disability.

Sport England have contributed £70,425 of National Lottery investment in Wheelchair

football activities the last 5 years (from 2015/16). Further detail on Sport England

funding breakdowns can be found here: https://www.sportengland.org/funding/what-

have-we-funded/

Football: Finance



continue to provide funding for the Football Association Parklife project.

Nigel Adams:

The Government recognises the benefits of the Football Association Parklife project.

Further investment in Parklife will continue to be considered at future fiscal events.

Gambling: Video Games


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

taking to support research into the effects of gambling-like mechanics in video games on

(a) young and (b) vulnerable players of those games.

Nigel Adams:

The DCMS Select Committee’s report on Immersive and Addictive Technology was

published on 12th September. It is critical of the games sector and makes a dozen

recommendations for Government action.

Most of the media coverage of the report focussed on the Select Committee’s

recommendation that DCMS should change the Gambling Act to bring into scope the



https://www.sportengland.org/funding/what-have-we-funded/





loot box mechanics that some games contain. The report also recommended that

DCMS should work with researchers to identify key questions needed to develop

research into the long term effects of (video) gaming and that DCMS should establish

a scientific working group to collate the latest evidence on the effects of “gambling-

like” mechanics in games.

DCMS is leading on the Government response which has been requested by 11

November and officials are currently developing advice for ministers.

The UK’s video games sector - and particularly a number of the large inward

investors here - are alarmed at the tone of the Select Committee’s report and looking

to Government to show it will take an evidence-based and proportionate approach in

its response.

Loot boxes do not fall under gambling law where the in-game items acquired are

confined for use within the game and cannot be cashed out. However, the Gambling

Commission is aware of possible areas of convergence between video games and

gambling, and will continue to monitor this closely.

Internet: Abuse



Department is taking to tackle anonymous abuse and threats on online platforms such as

Twitter.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.

Internet: Advertising

Caroline Lucas: [294124]

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

oral statement of her predecessor of 12 February 2019, Official Report, column 773, for

what reasons the terms of reference of the review of how online advertising is regulated

have not yet been published; when she plans to publish details of that review; whether

that review will include consideration of the effect of online advertising on young people’s

wellbeing and the planet’s natural resources; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Adams:

Since the previous Secretary of State announced the DCMS review into how online

advertising is regulated in the UK, my department has established a team to take this

work forward, including further evidence gathering and stakeholder engagement.

This review will identify and address the systemic social and economic challenges

that arise from online advertising. It will consider a range of options to ensure the

UK's approach to regulating online advertising is fit for purpose, including measures

to ensure users are sufficiently protected from harm.



The review will complement and build on other relevant work underway across

government and in external organisations, which are due to report in the winter. This

includes the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study into online platforms

and digital advertising, the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation report on online

targeting and the Information Commissioner’s Office’s work on adtech.

Further details will be set out in due course.

Internet: Children and Young People

Ian Blackford: [292261]

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

Government is taking to (a) ensure that young people are only able to access age

appropriate internet and social media sites and (b) hold sites to account when they

expose children to inappropriate content.

Matt Warman:

In April we published the Online Harms White Paper, which set out our plans for

world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.

We intend to establish in law a new duty of care on companies towards their users,

overseen by an independent regulator. Alongside the White Paper, Government

published the Social Media Code of Practice. This voluntary guidance sets out

actions that the Government believes social media platforms should take to prevent

bullying, insulting, intimidating and humiliating behaviours on their sites. The Code is

also relevant to other sites hosting user-generated content and comments. We are

aware that many social media companies meet the standards set out in the Code of

Practice, although Government does not actively monitor this.

Local Broadcasting: Radio

Douglas Chapman: [287573]


has made of the potential merits of allowing Ofcom to protect local radio news services

from reductions by multimedia companies.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.

Mass Media: Regulation

Mrs Madeleine Moon: [293499]

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

independent regulation of the media to protect people from invasive and unethical

journalism.




Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.


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

regulation of news publishers in her legislative proposals on online harms.

Matt Warman:

The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to

make the UK the safest place in the world to be online, and to better protect the rights

and wellbeing of users online. It will make companies more responsible for their

users' safety online, especially children and other vulnerable groups.

A vibrant, independent, pluralistic and free press is essential to our democracy. As

set out in the former Secretary of State's letter to the Society of Editors, the White

Paper's proposals do not impact journalistic and editorial content and will not interfere

with the current approach to press regulation.

Motor Sports


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

increase support for motor sports in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately:


Prorogation.

Political Parties: Advertising


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

create a regulator for online political advertising.

Nigel Adams:


Prorogation.

Service Industries: Non-domestic Rates

Steve Double: [294198]


discussions she has had with representatives from the hospitality sector on the effect of

business rates on that sector.

Helen Whately:


Prorogation.





Social Media



prevent people from establishing anonymous platforms on social media.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.



Department is taking to tackle (a) racism, (b) abuse and (c) threats on social media

platforms.

Matt Warman:

The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to

make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. We intend to establish in law

a new duty of care on companies towards their users, overseen by an independent

regulator. The duty of care will ensure companies have appropriate systems and

processes in place to deal with harmful content on their services to keep their users

safe. Compliance with this duty of care will be overseen by an independent regulator,

which will have a range of enforcement powers.

Alongside the White Paper, the government published the Social Media Code of

Practice. This voluntary guidance sets out actions that the Government believes

social media platforms should take to prevent bullying, insulting, intimidating and

humiliating behaviours on their sites.

Government has also asked the Law Commission to conduct a second phase of its

review of the legal framework around abusive and offensive communications online.

This will make specific recommendations for legal reform and is due to report in early

2021.

Social Media: Abuse and Intimidation


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

has had with representatives from social media platforms on anonymous abuse and

threats on those platforms.

Matt Warman:

Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with social media

platforms on a range of issues, including online abuse and threats. Details of

Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website.






Department has made of the effectiveness of online social media platforms in dealing

with abuse and threats made on those platforms.

Matt Warman:

We expect companies to do substantially more to keep their users safe and counter

online abuse, particularly where this abuse is illegal. The Online Harms White Paper

sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the

world to be online. We intend to establish in law a new duty of care on companies

towards their users, to ensure companies have appropriate systems and processes in

place to deal with harmful content on their services to keep their users safe.

Compliance with this duty of care will be overseen by an independent regulator,

which will have a range of enforcement powers.

Social Media: Codes of Practice


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which social media

companies have signed up to the Government code of conduct for social media

platforms.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.

Social Media: Harassment



discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on anonymous abuse and threats on

(a) Twitter and (b) other online platforms.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.

Sports: Plastics

John Mann: [284358]


Department has made of the role of major sporting and cultural events in the elimination

of single use plastics.

Nigel Adams:

Government strongly encourages all organisations with responsibility for sporting and

cultural events, to find sustainable and environmentally-friendly ways of operating.





The EventIMPACTS website, supported by DCMS, provides advice and support for

event organisers to help them implement ISO 20121- which is the international

standard on sustainable events.

Arts Council England (ACE) support a number of organisations and projects which

focus on the environment and sustainability.

Technology: Conferences


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

Prime Minister's speech at the United Nations on 24 September 2019, what (a) plans she

has made and (b) public consultation she plans to conduct in relation to the London

summit on tech; and what steps she is taking to ensure that the public opinion will be

represented.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.

Third Sector

Mr Jim Cunningham: [294095]


Department is taking to support volunteers in the third sector.

Nicky Morgan:

The Government is committed to enabling people of all backgrounds to contribute

their time and talents to their communities through volunteering and social action.

The Government supports a number of programmes which enable volunteering

opportunities. Examples include:

• Through the #iwill fund £20m of government investment has been matched with

more than £90m of investment from 28 partner funders. So far, this has created

500,000 high quality opportunities for young people to make change in their

communities.

• The Centre for Social Action which has invested over £9m in programmes that

encourage adult volunteering initiatives that bring people together and support

social outcomes.

Tourism: Gardens

Andrew Bridgen: [294179]


respond to the recommendations made by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Committee in its Fourteenth Report of Session 2017-19 entitled Garden design and

tourism, HC 2002.




Helen Whately:


Prorogation.

Tourism: North West

Ms Angela Eagle: [292116]


Department is taking to increase tourism in the North West.

Helen Whately:


Prorogation.

Twitter: Disinformation


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

Department is having with Twitter on tackling fake Twitter accounts.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.

Visual Impairment: Electronic Publishing

Ian Murray: [284833]


has made of the benefits of e-readers and other digital reading materials to partially

sighted or blind people; and what steps her Department takes to promote access to these

materials.

Matt Warman:


Prorogation.

Voluntary Work: Young People


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

have participated in the National Citizen Service in each local authority area in Surrey in

each of the last three years.

Nicky Morgan:


Prorogation.





Youth Services

Cat Smith: [285331]

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

Answer of 10 June 2019 to Question 260670 on Youth Services and with reference to her

Department's announcement on 10 July 2019 that a public consultation would be held for

8 weeks from late July 2019, when the consultation will begin; and how the process will

be taken forward.

Nicky Morgan:


Prorogation.

EDUCATION

Arts: GCSE


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many GCSE entries for arts subjects

there were from students in Mansfield constituency in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb:

The number and proportion of entries by pupils at the end of key stage 4 into

GCSE[1] Arts subjects[2] in Mansfield[3] from 2013-14 to 2017-18[4] are provided in

the table below, alongside the number of entries by pupils at the end of key stage 4

into all GCSE subjects in Mansfield.

MANSFIELD 2013/14[5] 2014/15[6] 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18[7]

Number entries

into GCSE Arts

688 874 650 607 390

Number of

entries into all

GCSE subjects

9,122 9,390 9,716 9,358 8,180

% of pupils

entered into

any Arts

subject

7.5% 9.3% 6.7% 6.5% 4.8%

Source: Revised key stage 4 attainment data

[1] Includes GCSE and equivalents.

[2] For the purposes of these figures arts subjects include Applied Art and Design, Art

and Design, Drama, Media/Film/TV, Music, Dance and Performing Arts. As per table



1c of the national tables here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-

and-multi-academy-trust-performance-2018-revised.

[3] Defined as pupils at the end of key stage 4 attending a school within the Mansfield

parliamentary constituency.

[4] For pupils at the end of key stage 4 with results that count in key stage 4

performance tables

[5] In 2013/14, two major reforms were implemented which affect the calculation of

key stage 4 performance measures data: 1) Professor Alison Wolf’s Review of

Vocational Education recommendations which: restrict the qualifications counted;

prevent any qualification from counting as larger than one GCSE; and cap the

number of non-GCSEs included in performance measures at two per pupil, and 2) an

early entry policy to only count a pupil’s first attempt at a qualification, in subjects

counted in the English Baccalaureate. Consequently, the numbers supplied prior to

2013/14 are not directly comparable with those from 2013/14 onwards.

[6] In 2014/15, early entry policy, under which only a pupil’s first attempt at a

qualification is counted in performance measures, was extended to all subjects.

[7] New reformed 9-1 GCSEs in Arts subject counted in key stage 4 performance

tables for the first time in 2017/18. Once a reformed subject is included in

performance tables, their unreformed counterparts no longer count, even if this was

an early entry.

Business: Education


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

entrepreneurship and business education in schools.

Nick Gibb:

There are a number of opportunities for pupils to develop entrepreneurial skills. The

new Business GCSE, which was first taught from 2017, is intended to enable

students to develop as commercially minded and enterprising individuals. In 2014, for

the first time, financial literacy was made statutory within the national curriculum as it

is now taught as part of the citizenship curriculum for 11 to 16 year olds. Schools are

free to cover enterprise and entrepreneurship teaching within their personal, social,

health and economic education.

Personal characteristics like resilience, problem-solving and good character are

crucial for setting up a business. Good schools will offer a wide range of opportunities

for their pupils to develop these characteristics through activities such as debating,

sport and volunteering, or through programmes such as the National Citizen Service

or the Cadets.

Published in December 2017, the Government’s careers strategy aims to give young

people from all backgrounds the opportunity to learn from employers about work and

the skills that are valued in the workplace. The strategy introduces a new expectation

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-and-multi-academy-trust-performance-2018-revised




that every school should offer every young person at least seven encounters with

employers, including those who are self-employed, during their education as part of a

high-quality careers programme.

The Careers & Enterprise Company’s network of Enterprise Advisers will support the

delivery of this ambition. Enterprise Advisers are senior business volunteers who help

schools and colleges to work with local businesses. At the end of June 2019, over

2,200 schools and colleges had been matched with an Enterprise Adviser. The

Department will give all schools and colleges access to an Enterprise Adviser by the

end of 2020.

Children: Communication Skills and Literacy

Geraint Davies: [293417]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to tackle the word gap

among pupils in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.

Nick Gibb:

28% of children finish their reception year still without the early communication,

language and literacy skills they need to thrive. The Department has set out an

ambition to halve this figure by 2028. This is why the Department has launched

‘Hungry Little Minds’, a new three-year campaign to help parents support their child’s

early language development. This builds on our wider early-years social mobility

programme, where the Department is investing over £100 million.

The Department is committed to continuing this support once children reach primary

school, which is why one of the three aims of the £26.3 million English Hubs

Programme is early language development. 34 primary schools have been appointed

as English hubs to support nearly 3000 schools across England to improve

educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged children in reception and Key

Stage 1.

The Department introduced a new curriculum for primary and secondary schools from

2014. The new curriculum for English increases the level of demand from an early

age and aims to ensure that all pupils acquire a wide vocabulary, a good

understanding of grammar, and proper knowledge of linguistic conventions for

reading, writing and written language.

Children: Day Care

Angela Rayner: [292257]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.10 of

Spending Round 2019, how the £66 million will be distributed between (a) state

maintained nurseries and (b) private, voluntary, and independent childcare settings.

Nick Gibb:

The Government continues to support families with their childcare costs. My right

hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced £66 million for early

years in 2020-21 to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers through the



Government’s early education entitlements in England. Further information and

details of how this will be distributed will follow in due course.

The Department recognises that maintained nursery schools are an important part of

the early years sector and provide valuable services to disadvantaged children. In

February 2019, we announced further supplementary funding for maintained nursery

schools of £24 million to ensure that the 2019-20 academic year is fully funded.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.10 of

Spending Round 2019 published on 4 September 2019, what the average hourly funding

rate for delivering the Government's free hours offers (a) was in 2018-19 and (b) will be in

2019-20.

Nick Gibb:

The average hourly funding rate for 3- and 4-year-olds was £4.75 in both 2018-19

and 2019-20 (provisional). The average rate can be calculated from dedicated school

grant tables which can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2018-to-

2019.

and here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2019-to-

2020.

The average rate can vary year on year as a result of the number of children taking

up the funded hours. The average rate for 3- and 4-year-olds comprises the universal

15-hour entitlement and the additional 15-hour entitlement. It does not include the

budget for early years pupil premium, disability access fund or supplementary

funding.

Steve McCabe: [293438]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 30 September to

Question 290628 on Children: Day Care, what the criteria was for allocating that funding;

and how much funding was allocated to each local authority.

Nick Gibb:

The funding the Department allocated to the recipients of funding for the Holiday

Activities and Food programme for 2019 can be found in the table attached.

The 11 organisations we worked with in 2019 were allocated the full amount of

funding requested in their bid. I have attached to this answer our invitation to tender

document, which includes the assessment criteria for this programme.


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2018-to-2019







Attachments:

1. 293438_doc

[293438_Grants_to_fund_local_coordination_of_free_holiday_activities_and_healthy_food.d

oc]

2. 293438_xls

[293438_Funding_allocated_to_the_Holiday_Activities_and_Food_programme_for_2019.xls

]

Climate Change: Curriculum

Alison McGovern: [294701]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to ensure the

national curriculum includes (a) up to date scientific understanding of climate change and

(b) the role of human behaviour in affecting the global climate.

Nick Gibb:

It is important that young people are taught about climate change and the impact of

human actions on the environment. Topics related to this are included in both the

science and geography curricula and qualifications. These were developed with

subject experts and reflect the latest scientific and academic understanding so that

children fully appreciate the causes of climate change and what needs to be done to

tackle it.

For example, in primary school science, pupils are taught about how weather

changes across the four seasons and how human actions affect environments. In

secondary school science, pupils are taught about the production of carbon dioxide

by human activity and the effect this has on the climate. This is expanded on in

GCSE science where pupils consider the evidence for additional anthropogenic

causes of climate change. As part of GCSE geography, pupils look at the causes,

consequences of, and responses to, extreme weather conditions and natural weather

hazards. This includes understanding the interactions between people and

environments.

Crimes of Violence: Education

Andrea Jenkyns: [294733]

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

of the potential merits of educating children about violent crime in order to reduce levels

of violent crime among young people.

Nick Gibb:

The Department know that education is a strong protective factor against children’s

and young people’s risk of involvement in serious violence. It is important that

schools enable children to achieve, to belong and to be equipped with the skills they

need to be safe and to succeed in life.

The Department is making relationships and health education compulsory in all

primary and secondary schools, and relationships and sex education compulsory in

all secondary schools from September 2020. The aim is to put in place the building



blocks needed for positive and safe relationships of all kinds, including how to

properly handle conflict and to recognise coercive relationships.

Key decisions on which subjects to include in the new curriculum were informed by a

stakeholder engagement process, where the Department was contacted by over

63,000 individuals and organisations and a consultation which received over 11,000

responses. Pupils will be taught about building healthy relationships and about their

mental health and wellbeing. This will enable them to make informed decisions and

seek support if issues arise.

Schools will have the freedom to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of their

pupils. This flexibility will allow schools to respond to local public health and

community issues such as serious violence. Schools can build on the core content

and discuss topics, such as healthy and unhealthy relationships, in relation to gang

and criminal activity.

The Department also intends to publish the new school and college security guidance

shortly. The guidance makes it clear that the curriculum offers opportunities to help

schools and colleges inform young people about the dangers they may face, both in

and around school and beyond, and provide pupils and students with the means to

help keep themselves safe.

Department for Education: Chief Scientific Advisers


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings he had with his

Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

Michelle Donelan:

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any meetings

with the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) between 1 June to 31 August 2019. The

CSA’s staff regularly attend meetings as required. The CSA regularly provides written

advice to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education.

Department for Education: Crispin Odey


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish (a) the outcome of all

meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of his Department and Mr Crispin Odey.

Michelle Donelan:


Department for Education: Jainism


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will invite representatives of the Jain

community to national events organised by his Department; and if he will make a

statement.




Michelle Donelan:

Britain's Jain community makes a positive contribution to life in this country. This




Education: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his oral contribution of 3

September 2019, Official Report, column 65, on education funding, which courses will be

eligible for funding from the £120 million for high-cost subjects; and how that funding will

be distributed.

Nick Gibb:

The Government recognises the need to support and encourage courses that are

more expensive to deliver and courses which are of particular value to the economy.

Therefore, the Department is making this significant investment of £120 million, which

will be allocated to qualifying courses at all provider types. Details about how this

funding will be distributed, including which courses will be eligible for this additional

funding, will be announced later in the Autumn in accordance with our usual timetable

for confirming funding arrangements for 2020-2021.

Equality: Education


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

ensure that all schools teach every part of the Equality Act 2010.

Nick Gibb:

We know that many schools choose to teach pupils about the Equality Act and the

protected characteristics under that Act in the context of duties on schools, such as

the requirements to promote both fundamental British values and the spiritual, moral,

social and cultural development of their pupils. Schools are entitled to teach about the

Equality Act in this context, and the Department thinks it is right that pupils leave

school with a proper understanding of the importance of equality and respecting

difference.

From September 2020 Relationships Education will be compulsory for all primary

pupils and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) will be compulsory for all

secondary pupils. These subjects will give pupils the knowledge they need to stay

safe and develop respectful, caring relationships of all kinds. The guidance on these

subjects can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-

and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education



Free School Meals: Surrey


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children

were eligible for free school meals in (a) Woking and (b) Surrey in the past year.

Michelle Donelan:

The number and proportion of children in schools in Woking constituency and Surrey

local authority who were eligible for and claiming free school meals (FSM) is given in

the table below.

NUMBER OF PUPILS ELIGIBLE

AND CLAIMING FSM

PERCENTAGE OF PUPILS

ELIGIBLE AND CLAIMING FSM

Surrey 13,281 8%

Woking constituency 1,285 9%

Source: School census, as at January 2019

Figures include pupils in state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special

schools and pupil referral units (including free schools and academy alternative

provision).

This data is published at national, regional, local authority and school level in annual

‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistical release. The 2019 publication is

available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-

characteristics-january-2019.

Free School Meals: Wallasey


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children in

secondary schools in Wallasey eligible for free school meals went on to higher education

in each year since 2010.

Michelle Donelan:

[Holding answer 30 September 2019]: The information requested by constituency

level is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Department does publish the proportion of students who entered higher

education by age 19 who were eligible for free school meals at age 15 in state-funded

and special schools at a local authority level. This information is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/widening-participation-in-higher-education-

2018.


https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2019




https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/widening-participation-in-higher-education-2018



Further Education


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of his Department’s capital

departmental expenditure limit was spent on (a) creating new places in further education

and (b) investing in the existing further education estate in each financial year since

2010-11.

Michelle Donelan:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: The information is not readily available and could

only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Ofsted: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will allocate additional funding to Ofsted

to carry out additional inspections when schools previously rated Outstanding are no

longer exempt from routine inspection.

Nick Gibb:

The Department has announced its intention to remove the exemption from routine

inspection for schools previously rated Outstanding by Ofsted, subject to public

consultation and Parliamentary approval. The aim is for routine inspection of

Outstanding schools and colleges to recommence from September 2020 onwards.

The Department will provide additional funding for this purpose for 2020-21. Funding

for these inspections in subsequent years will be determined through the forthcoming

Spending Review.

Out-of-school Education: Radicalism

Andrew Rosindell: [292861]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to protect students at

Islamic education centres in the UK from being exposed to potentially radicalising

ideology; and if he will make a statement.

Michelle Donelan:

All schools and colleges, including independent schools, are subject to the Prevent

Duty, which requires them to protect people from the harm of radicalisation and from

being drawn into terrorism.

They are also required to actively promote the values that underpin and unite our

society – democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance

of those with different faiths and beliefs. The department has worked closely with

Ofsted to strengthen Ofsted’s inspection frameworks, so that inspectors are required

to assess how well schools and colleges are meeting these requirements.

We work closely with the sector to support it in implementing these requirements and

to ensure our children and young people are resilient to extremist ideology and

prepared for life in modern Britain. We fund, with the Home Office, networks of




experts who provide frontline support to educational institutions, and we provide a

range of free resources for practitioners on our Educate Against Hate and Education

and Training Foundation websites for schools and colleges.

The department is also taking forward a package of activity aimed at enhancing the

safeguarding of children in out-of-school settings, where we know some children

have their mainstream education supplemented through the provision of after school

clubs or activities, which can include religious settings offering tuition in their own

faith.

This includes the provision of £3 million to boost local capacity to identify and

intervene in out-of-school settings of concern, and inform best practice on how

existing legal powers – held across local authorities and relevant agencies – can best

be used to address safeguarding and welfare concerns in these settings. This work

started last summer and is due to conclude in March 2020.

Alongside this, we have been developing a voluntary code of practice for out-of-

school setting providers and guidance for parents. These will support providers to

understand what is needed to run a safe setting. This will help parents and carers

make informed choices when considering out-of-school settings for their children, as

well as understand the steps they can take where they have concerns. The

department consulted on these documents in late February 2019 and will respond to

the consultation in due course. The consultation can be found here:

https://consult.education.gov.uk/regulatory-framework-unit/out-of-school-settings-

voluntary-safeguarding-code/.

Schools



departmental expenditure limit was spent on improving the existing school estate in each

financial year since 2010-11.

Nick Gibb:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: The Department for Education has allocated over

£13 billion in condition funding from 2011-12 to 2019-20, an average of £1.4 billion a

year. On top of that, the £4.4 billion Priority School Building Programme is rebuilding

or refurbishing school buildings in the worst condition across England, covering over

500 schools. Data on capital funding allocated prior to 2011-12 is not readily

available.

In addition to this, the Department provides Basic Need funding to local authorities for

new school places and, as of 1 October 2019, the Department has opened 507 free

schools which when full will educate 280,000 pupils.

Published data on annual capital allocations is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capital-funding.

https://consult.education.gov.uk/regulatory-framework-unit/out-of-school-settings-voluntary-safeguarding-code/




https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capital-funding

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capital-funding

Schools: Admissions



departmental expenditure limit was spent on creating new school places in each financial

year since 2010-11.

Nick Gibb:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: Local authorities are under a statutory duty to

ensure that there is a school place available for every child. The Department provides

basic need funding for every place that is needed, based on local authorities’ own

data on pupil forecasts. Local authorities can use this funding to provide places in

new schools or through expansions of existing schools, and can work with any school

in their local area, including academies and free schools.

Basic need allocations to local authorities to provide new school places from 2011-

2021 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-

allocations. Data for allocations prior to 2011-12 is not readily available.

The Department has also invested a total of £365 million through the Special

Provision Capital Fund from 2018-19 to 2020-21. This funding will help local

authorities to create new places and improve facilities for pupils with special

educational needs and disabilities.

Special Provision Capital Fund allocations to local authorities can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-provision-capital-funding-for-

pupils-with-ehc-plans.

In addition, the Department has funded thousands of good new school places and

opened schools across the country through the free schools programme. The

Department’s total capital costs of establishing free schools are listed below. These

annual costs include all aspects of site acquisition, design, and construction

expended in that year.

FINANCIAL YEAR TOTAL CAPITAL COSTS (MILLION)

2010-11 £1m

2011-12 £50m

2012-13 £275m

2013-14 £704m

2014-15 £761m

2015-16 £931m

2016-17 £965m

2017-18 £872m


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-allocations



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-provision-capital-funding-for-pupils-with-ehc-plans



FINANCIAL YEAR TOTAL CAPITAL COSTS (MILLION)

2018-19 £1,004m

2019-20 To be confirmed [1]

Total £5,563m

There are also some much smaller additional capital programmes which have also

created places, however this is not their primary objective. In total, the Department is

on track to create one million places this decade (2010 to 2020), the largest increase

in school capacity in at least two generations. This follows a decrease of 100,000

places between 2004 and 2010.

[1] This figure will be available once the Department lays its annual accounts before

Parliament in 2020.

Schools: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to implement a schools level

national funding formula; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb:

[Holding answer 3 October 2019]: It is the Department’s intention to move to a ‘hard’

national funding formula (NFF) as soon as possible. This is where schools’ actual

budgets are set and allocated on the basis of a single, national formula.

The Department recognises that this will represent a significant change and the

Department will work closely with local authorities, schools and others to make this

transition as smooth as possible.

In 2020-21, local authorities will continue to have some flexibility on how school

funding is distributed locally and in consultation with schools. This will allow for a

smooth transition toward the NFF.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to equalise the level

of schools funding for local authorities.

Nick Gibb:

In August, the Department announced a school funding settlement, providing for an

increase of over £14 billion for primary and secondary schools, in total, over the next

three years. The £14 billion means the Department can ‘level up’ school funding by

raising the minimum per pupil funding for secondary schools to £5,000 next year, and

the minimum per pupil funding for primary schools to £3,750 in 2020-21 and £4,000

in 2021-22.



Average school funding is increasing by 5% next year – a significant increase - and

the Department is allocating the biggest increases for the lowest-funded schools. In

addition, every school in England can see an increase in per pupil funding at least in

line with inflation, with most schools attracting real terms increases.

This settlement comprises cash increases of £2.6 billion for 2020-21, £4.8 billion for

2021-22 and £7.1 billion for 2022-23 compared with 2019-20. As part of this, the high

needs budget will rise by over £700 million in 2020-21 compared to this year, which is

equivalent to an increase of over 11%.

In delivering this settlement, this Government is giving all young people the best

opportunities to succeed - regardless of where they grow up or go to school.

Schools: Governing Bodies


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data his Department holds on the (a)

ethnicity, (b) class and (c) gender of school governors.

Michelle Donelan:

The department does not hold data on the ethnicity, class and gender of school

governors and academy trustees.


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

effectiveness of the (a) Inspiring Governance and (b) Everyone on board programmes in

increasing diversity on school governing boards.


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

encourage more young people to become school governors.

Michelle Donelan:

Inspiring Governance is a service run by the charity, Education and Employers, that

supports recruitment in school governance by matching those who wish to be

governors to school vacancies. The department requires Education and Employers to

meet targets to increase diversity on school governing boards. They are on track to

register over 16% of people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds this

financial year. As at the 2011 census, 15% of the England population identified as

being from a BAME background.

‘Everyone on Board’ is a campaign run jointly between Inspiring Governance and the

National Governance Association and is not a government programme. The objective

of this campaign is to increase the number of BAME and young people involved in

governance.

Inspiring Governance report that over 19% of people registering and being placed

into governance roles are from a BAME background, and people aged under 35

make up over 37% of registrations and over 46% of appointments.




Sixth Form Colleges: Finance


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

funding of sixth form colleges.

Michelle Donelan:

My right hon. Friend, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 31 August

2019 that the government will invest an extra £400 million in 16-19 education in 2020-

21. This represents an increase of 7% in overall 16 to 19 funding. This is the biggest

injection of new money in a single year since 2010, with funding increasing faster for

16-19 than in 5-16 schooling. As part of this, the base rate of funding for all types of

providers, including sixth form colleges, will be increased by 4.7% in academic year

2020-21, from £4,000 to £4,188.

As in 2019-20, the Department will meet the full cost of additional pensions’

payments for further education in 2020-21 and this is additional funding on top of the

£400 million announcement.

Funding for 2021-22 onwards will be considered in the full Spending Review next

year.

Special Educational Needs


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 21 June 2019 to

Question 263684, what assessment his Department has made of the compliance of

schools with (a) equalities legislation and (b) the schools admission code in their

admittance and treatment of children with SEND.

Nick Gibb:

[Holding answer 4 October 2019]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon.

Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, the member for Saffron Walden

(Mrs Kemi Badonoch) gave on 5 September 2019 to Question 281573.

Special Educational Needs: Per Capita Costs


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the mean funding is per pupil for SEND

provision in (a) Wallasey constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) the North West in each of

the last 10 years.

Michelle Donelan:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: Funding for pupils with special educational needs

and disabilities (SEND) is drawn from the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

Local authorities are required to provide sufficient funds, from the schools block of the

DSG, to enable mainstream schools to meet the cost of additional support for pupils

with SEND, up to the value of £6,000.




When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEND exceed £6,000,

the local authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess

costs. This top-up funding, and funding for special schools comes from the local

authority’s high needs block on the DSG.

In 2013, the schools and high needs blocks within the DSG were created. As the

DSG includes other budgets such as the early years budget, the department is

unable to provide comparable figures before the creation of the blocks within the

DSG in 2013-14.

Schools and high needs funding allocations for 2013-14 to 2019-20 are as follows.

The department does not hold funding information for SEND support at a

constituency level, or for Merseyside. We do not use the level of children and young

people with SEND to determine the rate of funding for an area. As funding for

children and young people with SEND is drawn from both the schools and high needs

blocks, and there is not a ringfenced amount within the schools block for children and

young people with SEND, we are unable to give an average figure.

In Wirral:

YEAR SCHOOLS FUNDING AMOUNT HIGH NEEDS FUNDING AMOUNT

2013-14 £188.0 million £32.3 million

2014-15 £187.5 million £33.6 million

2015-16 £191.3 million £34.0 million

2016-17 £192.7 million £33.7 million

2017-18 £195.9 million £35.1 million

2018-19 £198.7 million £35.8 million*

2019-20 £202.9 million £36.9 million*

In the North West:


2013-14 £4,174.5 million £674.2 million

2014-15 £4,190.6 million £709.1 million

2015-16 £4,339.6 million £719.2 million

2016-17 £4,398.7 million £726.1 million

2017-18 £4,513.8 million £751.5 million


2018-19 £4,590.1 million £787.1 million*

2019-20 £4,703.5 million £810.3 million*

* In December 2018, the department allocated an additional £250 million of high

needs funding across 2018-19 and 2019-20, in recognition of funding pressures. This

additional funding is included within the final totals displayed.

In 2020-21, we will provide more than £700 million in additional high needs funding,

bringing the national high needs funding total to over £7 billion. Every local authority

will receive a minimum increase of 8% per head of their population aged 2-18 years

old. We will provide provisional allocations to local authorities in October.

Teachers: Recruitment


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to improve rates of

teacher (a) recruitment and (b) retention.

Nick Gibb:

In January the Department launched the Government’s first ever integrated strategy

to recruit and retain more teachers in schools, developed alongside teachers,

education unions and leading professional bodies.

This landmark strategy includes the biggest teaching reform in a generation, the Early

Career Framework (ECF), providing the solid foundations for a successful career in

teaching, backed by at least £130 million a year in extra funding when fully rolled out.

As part of the ECF’s package of support, the Department has committed to funding

and guaranteeing 5% off-timetable in the second year of teaching for all early career

teachers; early career teachers will continue to have a 10% timetable reduction in

their first year of induction. The Department will also fully fund mentor training and

fund time for mentors to support early career teachers.

The Department recognises it needs to take significant action on starting salaries and

early career pay over the medium-term to address our pressing recruitment and

retention challenges. This is why the Department has set out plans to significantly

raise starting pay to £30,000 by September 2022.

The Department has also put in place a range of measures, including bursaries worth

up to £26,000 for priority subjects, to encourage graduates to teach key subjects

such as languages and physics.

The Department is also offering retention incentives in priority subjects to ensure we

are keeping those teachers in the classroom. These include early-career payments

for new chemistry, languages, maths and physics teachers and a student loan

reimbursement scheme for languages, science and computing teachers.


Wigan University Technical College: Finance

Lisa Nandy: [294699]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what payments were made to his

Department by Wigan University Technical College as a result of the overestimation of

student numbers.

Michelle Donelan:

As part of the established pupil number adjustment process where an academy

trust’s funding agreement allows for the basis of funding to be initially calculated

using estimated pupil numbers, the funding is subsequently aligned with the actual

pupil numbers returned in the school census through these adjustments and

recoveries or additional payments are applied as appropriate.

For Wigan University Technical College, £609,038 of advanced funding remains

outstanding.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Products: UK Trade With EU

Deidre Brock: [290376]

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

Answer of 19 December 2017 to Question 118358, what progress her Department has

made on developing the UK’s system for the management of agri-food imports and

exports with EU countries.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.



Answer of 13 December 2017 to Question 118331, what progress has been made on

getting the best possible deal that allows the UK to continue to have tariff-free and

frictionless access for goods and services into the European market.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Agriculture

Kerry McCarthy: [291299]

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

assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of whole farm

agroecological systems.





George Eustice:


Prorogation.


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

Department supports the transition to agroecological farming by 2030 as recommended

by the Royal Society of Arts Food, Farming and Countryside Commission report

published on 16 July 2019.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.



advice her Department has issued to the farming sector in the event that the UK leaves

the EU (a) with a deal and (b) without a deal.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Agriculture: Expenditure

Sue Hayman: [293609]


Answers of 6 and 9 September to Questions 282507, 282510, 282514, 282515, 282516,

282517, 282518, 282519, 282520, 282521, 282522, 282523, 282524, 282525, 282527,

282528 and 282529, what (a) programmes and (b) deliverables were included in the

Food, sustainable and competitive farming programme under the heading Food and

Farming; and if she will publish the (i) Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit, (ii)

Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit and (iii) Annually Managed Expenditure funding

allocated to each of those programmes for 2019-20.




282517, 282518, 282519, 282520, 282521, 282522, 282523, 282524, 282525, 282527,

282528 and 282529, what specific programmes and deliverables to tackle waste and

promote recycling are included under which headings; and if she will publish the (a)

Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit, (b) Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit

and (c) Annually Managed Expenditure funding allocated to each of those programmes

for 2019-20.








282517, 282518, 282519, 282520, 282521, 282522, 282523, 282524, 282525, 282527,

282528 and 282529, what specific funding for National Parks is included under which

headings; and if she will publish the (a) Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit, (b)

Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit and (c) Annually Managed Expenditure funding

allocated to National Parks for 2019-20.




282517, 282518, 282519, 282520, 282521, 282522, 282523, 282524, 282525, 282527,

282528 and 282529, what air quality programmes and deliverables are included under

which headings; and if she will publish the (a) resource departmental expenditure limit,

(b) capital departmental expenditure limit and (c) annually managed expenditure funding

allocated to air quality programmes and deliverables for 2019-20.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Agriculture: Scotland



Prime Minister's oral contribution of 25 July 2019, Official Report, column 1497, on

priorities for Government, what the timescale is for the allocation of the £160 million to the

Scottish Government.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Agriculture: Subsidies



Answer of 5 August 2019 to Question 280135 on Agriculture: Subsidies, if she will publish

a list of the 46 pilots which have been signed up to the Environmental Land Management

Scheme; and whether those pilots are receiving financial compensation for taking part in

that scheme.

George Eustice:

To support the development of Environmental Land Management Schemes, we are

undertaking a number of tests and trials working with farmers and land managers to

co-design elements of the new scheme. The work is being facilitated by a range of





stakeholders, including farmer groups, representative bodies and non-governmental

organisations, and covers a range of geographies and sectors. 46 proposals are

currently being taken forward in phase 1 and we anticipate that a number of these will

begin soon with Defra reimbursing agreed costs incurred in their delivery. We have

received a further 200 proposals for phase 2. We will prioritise those proposals from

phase 2 that fill gaps identified from the coverage of phase 1 proposals. We will

communicate the results of our analysis of the phase 2 proposals to stakeholders

later this month.

Attachments:

1. Phase 1 proposals table [Phase 1 proposals.xlsx]


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

Department has to ensure that (a) silvo-arable and (b) silvo-pastoral systems are

included in Environmental Land Management Scheme trials.

George Eustice:

Tests and trials will not assess if new practices or interventions achieve

environmental outcomes. This is because testing environmental outcomes would

require a much longer timeframe and our initial priority is testing those elements

necessary to ensure the successful commencement of the National Pilot in 2021.

However, following the submission of phase 1 proposals, the Tests and Trials team

have identified gaps within the existing tests and trials and made these areas a

priority for phase 2. These gaps include certain sectors of the industry which were

under-represented.



Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a community

supported agriculture start-up fund.


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

Department has made on creating financial incentives for local authorities to invest

county farms estates.

George Eustice:

I value the role of county farm smallholdings, and particularly the opportunities they

offer for new entrant farmers. We are considering whether we can use funds to

refresh the county farm model by supporting local authorities to reinvest in their

farms, helping with facilitation funding so that the farms are more of a hub for new

entrants, and working with them to make it easier to move tenants out so that we

have a constant pipe stream of new opportunities for new entrants.

Alongside that, we are considering whether that can be broadened beyond the

traditional county farm, which has existed for many decades since the war, to include

some of the peri-urban farms, which often have links to the agro-ecology movement




and are often smaller community-based groups. Where local authorities have land

that they can make available, we might be able to support the fostering of those

schemes, which can be popular.


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

Department has budgeted for (a) payments to farmers, (b) administration apparatus for

payments and (c) civil service hours to process claims and payments to replace Common

Agricultural Policy payments after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Angling

Scott Mann: [294216]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish

the results of the survey conducted in 2016 by her Department and the Centre for

Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science on the effect on the economy of

recreational angling.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Animal Products: Imports

Mrs Pauline Latham: [294133]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which animals will

be covered by the ban on trophy hunting imports to the UK.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.


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

timeframe is for the ban on trophy hunting imports to come into force.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.


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

will be banned from importing hunting trophies into the UK.






Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.


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

(a) bones, (b) hands, (c) tails and (d) other parts are included in the ban on hunting

trophy imports to the UK.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an

assessment of the extent to which trophy hunting imports arrive in the UK via other

countries to those from which the trophies originated.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will impose

an immediate moratorium on trophy hunting imports.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.


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

taking to prevent trophy hunting imports.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill

Luke Pollard: [291130]

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

legislative timetable is for the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.






Animals: Conservation


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

what proportion of UK (a) mammals and (b) birds at risk of extinction.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Animals: Imports

Mark Field: [291555]

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

animal consignments designated under the Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species (CITES) or non-CITES will be permitted to enter the UK using (a)

the Port of Dover (b) Eurotunnel, (c) Harwich and (d) Portsmouth.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Ash Dieback Disease: Disease Control

Ian Lavery: [292238]

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

the Government has taken to tackle ash dieback.

George Eustice:

Extensive action has been taken on ash dieback since it was first officially found in

2012. We have restricted the movement of ash and invested more than £6m in ash

dieback research. We have conducted the world’s largest screening trials and in June

2019 we published the ash research strategy – this set out priority areas for future

research, including the UK led work to identify tolerant trees.

We will be planting the first UK archive of tolerant trees in 2020. We are continuing to

support landowners to manage ash dieback on the ground by providing guidance,

including a toolkit for local authorities and large land mangers which was launched

earlier this year and has been downloaded over 16,500 times.

Beverage Containers: Recycling

Sandy Martin: [293728]

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

she had made of the implications for her policies of the findings of the Impact

Assessment, Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme on beverage containers, published on

15 February 2019.





Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.



she has made of the potential (a) costs and (b) benefits to local government finances of

the introduction of a deposit return scheme.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.


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

Impact Assessment entitled, Introducing a deposit return scheme on beverage containers

included an assessment of the changes proposed to the waste regime that were included

in the strategy entitled, Our waste, our resources.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Birds: Pest Control



she has made of the effectiveness of the general licences for bird control that were

introduced in April 2019.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Clean Bus Technology Fund: Wirral Council


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

from the Clean Bus Technology Fund her Department has allocated to Wirral Council.

Rebecca Pow:

We have not awarded any Clean Bus Technology Fund funding to Wirral Council,

however we have allocated funding to Liverpool City Region Combined Authority of

which the Wirral is a constituent part. In total, through four different rounds of the

Clean Bus Technology Fund, we have allocated £6,833,026 to the Combined

Authority.





Climate Change


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

Reducing UK emissions - 2019 Progress Report to Parliament, published by the

Committee on Climate Change on 10 July 2010, for what reasons 21 of the 56 risks and

opportunities identified in the UK’s Climate Change Risk Assessment have no formal

actions in the National Adaptation Programme.

Rebecca Pow:

The Government welcomes the Committee on Climate Change’s progress report to

Parliament. As required, we will respond formally by the deadline of 15 October.

Climate Change: Curriculum


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

she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the role of schools in promoting

knowledge of the effect of human behaviour on climate change.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Crayfish: Pest Control



her Department has taken to tackle invasive crayfish species in UK rivers.

Rebecca Pow:

Policy on non-native crayfish is devolved; the following information is relevant to

England and Wales.

We are in the process of eradicating the only known population of white river crayfish

in England and Wales, using a natural pyrethrum based biocide. The trapping of

crayfish is tightly regulated to prevent deliberate or accidental spread of crayfish. The

Environment Agency has been active in instigating research into methods for

managing non-native crayfish populations and mitigating their impact on the

environment.

On 8 March the Government laid the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and

Permitting) Order (“the Order”) which applies across England and Wales. The Order

is a key part of meeting the requirements of EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation

(1143/2014), a core purpose of which is to take concerted action to tackle the threat

that invasive species pose to our biodiversity and ecosystems. The Order will

introduce an enforcement regime that will include the following non-native invasive

crayfish species: signal crayfish, marbled crayfish, virile crayfish, spiny cheeked

crayfish, and red swamped crayfish. The Order will introduce both civil and criminal




sanctions including both fixed and variable monetary penalties and custodial

sentences for the most serious infringements of the EU Regulation.

On 18 July the Government launched a consultation on management measures for

widely spread invasive alien species, including the signal crayfish, which closes on 12

September. Under the Invasive Alien Species Regulation, management measures

must be put in place for widespread invasive alien species. The consultation asks for

views on ways to manage populations of species of concern including for specified

invasive crayfish species.

The consultation can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/invasive-alien-species-management-

measures-for-widely-spread-species-in-england-and-wales

We continue to work with water companies to improve biosecurity measures,

including through the Clean, Check, Dry campaign.

Crops



Department has to support the import of (a) fertilisers and (b) other crop treatments in the

event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

George Eustice:

In preparations for no deal, the Government has taken steps to secure additional

freight capacity, guaranteeing the supply of critical goods.

In the event of no deal and with regard to crop treatments, the same pesticide

products will continue to be authorised for use in the UK immediately after

withdrawal. After withdrawal, businesses who trade with the EU will broadly be

subject to customs controls in the same way as businesses who are trading with the

rest of the world. HMRC has announced that a number of temporary easements are

in place to help businesses make this transition, including measures to simplify tariffs

and customs declarations.

Existing EU regulations for marketing fertilisers will be converted into UK law in the

event of a no deal departure. Products sold as EC fertilisers can be sold in the UK

with the same packaging for two years as long as they continue to comply with the

EU regulations. This system has been developed to ensure continuity of supply of

fertiliser imports from the EU to the UK farming industry. The information has been

published in a guidance document available on gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manufacturing-and-marketing-fertilisers-if-there-is-no-

brexit-deal

The UK is a net importer of fertilisers and is consequently a valuable market for

exports from other countries. We are expecting the supply of fertilisers to remain

consistent, and to continue to use existing trade routes which do not include the Port

of Dover.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/invasive-alien-species-management-measures-for-widely-spread-species-in-england-and-wales




https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manufacturing-and-marketing-fertilisers-if-there-is-no-brexit-deal



We will continue to look at all likely EU withdrawal scenarios with a view to limiting

consequential impacts on the supply chain and trade.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Chief Scientific Advisers


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

meetings she had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31

August 2019.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Crispin Odey


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish

(a) the outcome of all meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of her Department

and Mr Crispin Odey.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Jainism


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will invite

representatives of the Jain community to national events organised by her Department;


George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Statutory Instruments



statutory instruments her Department needs Parliament to pass before the UK leaves the

EU on 31 October 2019.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.





Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Travel


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


2018.


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


2017.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Electronic Training Aids

Nic Dakin: [292895]


Answer of 22 May 2019 to Question 254811 on Electronic Training Aids, when the

Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ban the use of electronic

shock collars.

Zac Goldsmith:

Defra continues to work up the necessary legislation needed to prohibit the use of

remote controlled hand-held electronic training collars for dogs which will be laid

before Parliament in due course.

Environment Protection: British Overseas Territories

Stephen Gethins: [292275]


submissions were received in response to the call for evidence on environmental funding

for the British Overseas Territories; and when her Department plans to publish its

response to that consultation.

Stephen Gethins: [292276]


Department’s response to the call for evidence on environmental funding for the British

Overseas Territories will include plans to replace the EU environmental funds of BEST

and LIFE.

Zac Goldsmith:

A total of 49 responses were submitted to the Call for Evidence on biodiversity and

conservation funding in the Overseas Territories, and a summary of those responses

will be published in due course. Decisions on future funding arrangements for the






Overseas Territories, including any domestic replacements for EU funding, will be

considered as part of the next full spending review.

Environmental Protection: Expenditure




282517, 282518, 282519, 282520, 282521, 282522, 282523, 282524, 282525, 282527,

282528 and 282529, what programmes were included in the Natural environment and

atmosphere improvement programmes under the heading Improve the Environment; and

if she will publish the (a) the Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit, (b) Capital

Departmental Expenditure Limit and (c) Annually Managed Expenditure funding allocated

to each of those programmes for 2019-20.




282517, 282518, 282519, 282520, 282521, 282522, 282523, 282524, 282525, 282527,

282528 and 282529, what programmes were included in the Wildlife, international,

climate and forestry programme under the heading Improve the Environment; and if she

will publish the (a) Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit, (b) Capital Departmental

Expenditure Limit and (c) Annually Managed Expenditure funding allocated to each of

those programmes for 2019-20.

George Eustice:

Please see the table attached that sets out 2019-20 planned funding for specific

programmes. Negative figures show overall planned savings or income.

Attachments:

1. 2019-20 Planned Funding Table [2019-20 Planned funding for specific

programmes.docx]

European Environment Agency


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

Government plans to seek membership of or co-operator country status with the

European Environment Agency in the event that the UK leaves the EU.

Rebecca Pow:

Our future relationship with the EU is still to be determined and is the subject of

negotiations. As part of Exit negotiations the Government will discuss with the EU

and Member States our future status and arrangements with regard to EU bodies and

their environmental functions.






representations the UK Government has received on the UK’s relationship with the

European Environment Agency from (a) the Scottish Government, (b) the Welsh

Government and (c) the Northern Ireland Executive.

Rebecca Pow:

We are committed to working closely with the Devolved Administrations as the UK

exits the EU.

Defra Ministers and officials speak regularly with counterparts from the Devolved

Administrations on issues relating to EU exit, including at a regular Inter-Ministerial

Group. This includes discussions on the environment and future relationship with EU

bodies.



the Government has made of the effect on the monitoring, measuring and reporting of

environmental outcomes in the event that the UK ends its membership of the European

Environment Agency.

Rebecca Pow:

The Government is committed to high environmental standards and to increasing, not

weakening, environmental protections as we leave the EU. To support this, current

EU legislative requirements concerning monitoring, measuring and reporting have

been reflected in EU exit Statutory Instruments, and will continue to be implemented

after the UK leaves the EU. Our preparations for leaving the EU reflect this, including

replacing functions previously carried out by the European Environment Agency.

Fish: Supermarkets



discussions his Department has had with representatives of supermarkets on the sale of

endangered fish species.

George Eustice:

The Government regularly engages with UK retailers on a wide variety of policy

areas, including on the sustainability of fish stocks in UK waters and beyond.

Fisheries



Operation Yellowhammer HMG Reasonable worst case planning assumptions paragraph

19, what additional funding his Department has allocated for the purpose of enforcement

of territorial fishing waters and increasing response capability in the event of the UK

leaving the EU without a deal.





George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Fisheries: Brexit


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

has to ensure the enforcement of UK fishing waters in the event that the UK leaves the

EU without a deal.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Food Supply

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [290291]


she has made of the potential effect on food supplies in the event that the UK leaves the

EU without a deal.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Tom Brake: [291523]


her Department has made of the effect on food supplies of the UK leaving the EU without

a deal; and what plans her Department has to maintain food supplies in that event.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Nic Dakin: [292214]

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

risk is to the UK's food security in the (a) short, (b) medium and (c) long-term.

Zac Goldsmith:

Food is one of the 13 Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) Sectors in the UK. Defra

and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have joint responsibility for food as CNI. Defra

is responsible for security of supply, and the FSA for food safety and food crime.

Food supply is a devolved issue. Defra produces a Sector Security and Resilience

Plan (SSRP) which is updated annually and a summary is publicly available.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/786206/20190215_PublicSummaryOfSectorSecurityAndResiliencePlans

2018.pdf





https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/786206/20190215_PublicSummaryOfSectorSecurityAndResiliencePlans2018.pdf




This document sets out the risk landscape through identifying the main risks to the

sector as described in the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA). and how

these are managed. The UK food sector has a highly effective and resilient food

supply chain, owing to the size, geographic diversity and competitive nature of the

industry. While there are no individually critical food assets, the main risks arise from

recognised dependencies on other critical services such as fuel, energy, transport

and data communications.

Emily Thornberry: [292877]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will

publish her Department's latest assessment of the effect on the supply of food to the UK

of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Food Supply: Climate Change

Nic Dakin: [292213]

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

Department is taking to (a) understand and (b) mitigate the risks to the food security of

the UK population due to global climate change.

Zac Goldsmith:

The second Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) published in 2017 identifies

risks to domestic and international food production and trade as one of the UK’s top

six risks from climate change. The second National Adaptation Programme (NAP)

published in 2018, sets out a plan of actions across Government to address these

risks (amongst others identified in the CCRA) over the following 5 years. Specifically

the NAP includes actions to ensure a food supply chain which is resilient to the

effects of a changing climate.

As part of the action referenced above, we are reviewing the UK Food Security

Assessment, a comprehensive analysis of UK food security in a global context. It was

last published as a whole document in 2010 although the underpinning statistics are

updated and monitored on a regular basis. The Assessment has six themes: Global

Food Security; Global Resource Sustainability; UK Availability and Access; UK

Supply Chain Resilience; Household Food Security; Consumer Safety and

Confidence.

The Government has also commissioned an independent review to develop

recommendations to help shape a national food strategy. The National Food Strategy

will carry out an integrated analysis of our food system, looking across the issues of

food security, climate change and health to develop a series of recommendations for

Government.



Food: Exports



assessment she has made of the potential effect on UK food exports of the UK leaving

the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Food: Imports



Department is taking to protect farmers from imported food that is produced to lower

environmental and animal welfare standards in the event that the UK leaves the EU

without a deal.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Food: Shortages



paragraph 7 of Operation Yellowhammer, HMG Reasonable Worst Case Planning

Assumptions, what assessment he has made of the (a) availability of fresh food in each

nation and region in the UK and (b) foodstuffs at greatest risk of scarcity in the event that

the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Food: Waste Disposal

Faisal Rashid: [292993]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will (a)

bring forward legislative proposals to require local authorities to provide food waste bins

and (b) allocate funding to local authorities to provide those waste bins.

Rebecca Pow:

The Government set out its commitment to working towards zero food waste to

landfill by 2030 in the Resources and Waste Strategy which we published in 2018.

Our recent ‘consultation on consistency in household and business recycling

collections in England’ sought views on the collection of food waste from households.





The majority of respondents were in favour of this measure. Government has

therefore said that it will bring in legislation so that all English local authorities have a

duty to collect food waste separately from other waste every week so that this food

waste can be recycled or composted.

The Government has committed to funding any new additional burdens arising from

this new statutory duty to local authorities including provision of equipment such as

food waste bins.


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

local authorities provide food waste collections as part of their refuse collection service.

Rebecca Pow:

In 2018/19 167 local authorities out of 327 (51%) offered food waste collection

services for residents.

One of the commitments in the Resource and Waste Strategy was to work towards

zero food waste to landfill by 2030. Our ‘consultation on consistency in household

and business recycling collections England’ sought views on food waste being

collected separately from dry recycling materials and other types of waste from

households and businesses. Given the support for this proposal, the Government will

legislate to ensure that every local authority in England provides a separate food

waste collections from 2023.



Department is taking to increase the provision of separate food waste collections.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Forests



Environmental Land Management scheme test and trials projects will (a) incorporate an

objective to increase tree cover through woodland creation, agroforestry or increased

hedgerows and (b) undertake to investigate carbon storage and mitigation.

George Eustice:

The cornerstone of our new agricultural policy is the development of a new

Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs), which will be underpinned by the

payment of public money for the provision of public goods. In determining what ELMs

will pay for, we are mapping the environmental public goods for ELMs, the

interventions that may contribute to their delivery and the evidence base that

supports this. We recognise that woodland creation may contribute to several of the

environmental public goods that ELMs will pay for, including mitigation of and




adaptation to climate change, thriving plants and wildlife, and clean air. Activities that

therefore may be paid for include tree planting, woodland creation and woodland

management, including through natural regeneration. An evidence framework has

been put in place to ensure that all land management interventions which ELMs will

incentivise will be based on up to date scientific evidence.

We set up tests and trials as a means to support the development of the ELMs. The

work is being facilitated by a range of stakeholders, including farmer groups,

representative bodies and non-governmental organisations and will cover a range of

geographies and sectors. Tests and trials provide us with a mechanism to co-design

and test the new scheme with farmers and land managers and understand how it

works in a real life environment. We will not use tests and trials to validate if specific

delivery methods achieve particular environmental outcomes, such as woodland

creation or carbon storage, but will focus instead on the building blocks of the new

scheme.

Game: Birds


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

will review the law on the caging of game birds.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Import Controls: EU Law



Government has plans to implement EU Official Control Regulation 2017/625 on the

application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and

plant protection products.

George Eustice:

The new Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 will apply in EU member states

from 14 December 2019.

How and when the UK implements this Regulation will depend on our departure from

the EU. If we leave the EU with a deal, there is likely to be an implementation period

until at least 31 December 2020. During this period, EU law will apply including the

Official Controls Regulation. The UK will therefore need to implement this new

Regulation at the same time as EU member states on 14 December 2019.

In a no-deal situation, the UK will be able to choose whether and when to apply these

measures as the Regulation will not apply automatically to the UK. However, UK

exporters to the EU will have to meet the import requirements that apply to imports

from third countries.



Imports


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

assessment the Government has made of the preparedness of the Import of Products,

Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) to replace the EU’s Trade Control and Expert

System; and what discussions the Government has had with representatives of port

health authorities on contingency planning for IPAFFS after the UK has left the EU.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Incinerators


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

incineration plants burning (a) residential, (b) commercial and (c) industrial waste were

licensed in each of the last five years.

Rebecca Pow:

The Environment Agency is responsible for issuing environmental permits for waste

incineration plants in England. The following numbers of new permits have been

issued for relevant plants over the last five years:

2014 : Three plants each permitted to burn residential, commercial and industrial

waste and one plant permitted to burn hazardous industrial wastes

2015 : Two plants each permitted to burn residential, commercial and industrial waste



2018 : One plant permitted to burn residential, commercial and industrial waste

2019 to date : Two plants each permitted to burn residential, commercial and

industrial waste

Japanese Knotweed: North East



her Department has made of the effectiveness of the strategy to deal with invasive

Japanese knotweed in (a) Wansbeck constituency, (b) Northumberland and (c) the North

East.

George Eustice:

There has been no formal assessment of this nature. Japanese knotweed is listed on

Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), which makes it

an offence to allow the plant to escape, or cause it to grow in the wild. Local councils




and police have the power to issue Community Protection Notices against individuals

or businesses who persistently or continually act in a way that has a detrimental

effect on the quality of life of those in the locality.

A number of authorities are taking action to control Japanese Knotweed. This

includes the Tees River Trust which is involved in managing release sites for the

biocontrol of Japanese knotweed.

Litter

Andrew Percy: [294128]


taking to tackle littering.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Litter: Fines



assessment of the potential merits of increasing the maximum fine for littering.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Marine Protected Areas



she has taken to expand the size of the Blue Belt.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Packaging: Biodegradability


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring

forward legislative proposals to require takeaway containers and similar items to be

compostable.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.





Packaging: Recycling



she has made of the potential merits of obligating all retailers to ensure that the

packaging of products sold can be recycled locally before stocking those products.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Packaging: Waste Disposal



Department is taking to raise awareness of how to dispose of compostable packaging.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Pets: Disease Control



assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing compulsory tick treatment for pets at

UK borders.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Plastic Bags: Biodegradability


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

has to bring forward legislative proposals to make all plastic bags sold compostable.

Rebecca Pow:

The introduction of the 5p Carrier Bag Charge has been highly effective at reducing

consumption of single-use carrier bags. Composting standard EN 13432 defines the

requirements for biodegradability of products required to meet the standard. This

requires the use of an industrial composter. Compostable bags can be disposed of in

foodwaste collections but only if the householder’s local authority uses an industrial

composting process to treat the waste (some use anaerobic digestion). The

Government would need to ensure that there was the right infrastructure in place and

that the environmental benefits outweighed using conventional plastics before

legislating to mandate that all plastic bags were compostable. That evidence is not

yet available.







Department is taking to encourage businesses to use compostable carrier bags.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Plastics


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

the Government is taking to reduce the use of single-use plastics; and what recent

assessment she has made of the potential merits of levies to further reduce the use of

plastics.

Rebecca Pow:

Last year the Government published the Resources and Waste Strategy, setting out

our plans to reduce, reuse and recycle more plastic than we do now. Our target is to

eliminate all avoidable plastic waste throughout the life of the 25 Year Environment

Plan, but for the most problematic plastics we are going faster - that is why we

commit to work towards all plastic packaging placed on the UK market being

recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

We have made good progress, the Government’s plastic bag charge has led to a

90% reduction in the use of plastic carrier bags in the main retailers and raised in last

year alone over £51 million for environmental causes. The Government also recently

consulted on plans to extend the charge to all retailers and on increasing the

minimum charge to at least 10p.

We have recently consulted on a suite of measures to help overhaul the waste

system. Collectively our proposals are aimed at boosting recycled content in plastic

packaging, through a proposed tax on plastic packaging which does not meet a

minimum threshold of at least 30% recycled content. This will make producers foot

the bill for handling the packaging they place on the market when it becomes waste,

and ending the confusion over household recycling by introducing more consistency

in collection services. In addition, earlier this year the Government announced that a

ban on the supply of plastic straws, stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds to the

end user will come into force from April 2020.

Industry is also taking action, in April last year, the Waste and Resources Action

Programme (WRAP) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched their world-

leading UK Plastics Pact, with support from the Government, accounting for over

85% of plastic packaging used in UK supermarkets. The Pact brings organisations

from across the supply chain together, from plastic manufacturers through to waste

management companies, with four key targets for 2025 that aim to reduce the

amount of plastic waste generated, including one to take actions to eliminate

problematic or unnecessary single-use packaging items.



Plastics: Compost



Department is taking to encourage local authorities to compost bioplastics.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Plastics: Packaging


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take

steps to ban the (a) production and (b) use of polystyrene plastic packaging in the UK.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.



assessment of the potential merits of introducing an Extended Producer Responsibility

scheme for plastic packaging manufacturers and importers.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Plastics: Seas and Oceans

Jo Platt: [292370]


Department is taking to reduce plastic waste in oceans.

Rebecca Pow:

The UK is committed to tackling the scourge of marine litter and we are making

significant progress towards addressing this issue. Our approach so far has been to

reduce needless plastic waste entering the marine environment in the first instance.

Our ban on microbeads in cosmetic and personal care products, one of the strongest

in the world, came into force in June 2018. Our plastic bag charge has led to a 90%

reduction in the use of plastic carrier bags in the main retailers and last year alone

raised over £51 million for environmental causes. We have consulted on plans to

extend the charge to all retailers and on increasing the minimum 5p charge to at least

10p. In May 2019, we announced that a ban on the supply of plastic straws, stirrers,

and plastic-stemmed cotton buds to the end user will come into force from April 2020.

These policies are helping to deliver our Resources and Waste Strategy for England,

our framework for eliminating all avoidable plastic waste. It builds on commitments in





our 25 Year Environment Plan and sets out plans to maximise the value we get from

resources, minimise waste, promote a circular economy, and better protect the

environment.

Marine litter is a transboundary problem which requires international cooperation; that

is why we are leading action on the global threat of marine litter. We continue to

actively engage internationally through OSPAR, the G7 and the G20, and the UN. In

April 2018, the Prime Minister announced the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance,

a ground-breaking initiative working with our Commonwealth partners to reduce

marine plastic pollution. To help deliver this, we committed an ambitious package of

up to £70 million of funding to drive research and innovation.

Plastics: Waste

Laura Smith: [294742]


taking to reduce plastic waste in fast food outlets.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Ports: Import Controls


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

will be required to undertake sanitary and phytosanitary controls on high risk food and

feed from the EU in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement;

and how long such controls are expected to be in place.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Rain Forests: Amazonia



taking to increase public awareness of the effect of the beef and leather industry on

deforestation in the Amazon.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.


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

Department is taking to ensure that no products linked to Amazon deforestation are sold

in the UK.





Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Rural Development Programme


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

Department plans to support new programmes that would have been eligible for Rural

Development Programme funding after 31 October 2019.

George Eustice:

The Government has guaranteed that any Rural Development Programme projects

where funding has been agreed before the end of 2020 will be funded for their full

lifetime. It will ensure continued funding for these projects until they finish and means

that we can continue to sign new projects during 2019 and 2020, after the UK leaves

the EU.

Furthermore the Government will maintain the commitment to provide the same cash

total in funds for farm support until the end of the Parliament. The Government will

confirm the exact funding available in due course.

Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection



Department is taking to improve the UK’s Ocean Health Index score.

Zac Goldsmith:

The UK Marine Strategy puts in place the framework for achieving good

environmental status in UK waters. A recent consultation on the progress made

towards GES showed that whilst progress was being made further work was needed.

The updated UK Marine Strategy Part I assesses an array of ocean health factors as

well as economic and social analyses of the way we use our marine environment and

the benefits it provides us. The updated assessments will be published later this year,

giving improved information to the scientists working on the UK’s Ocean Assessment

Score.

The UK is already a global leader in protecting seas, the ocean and marine life. Our

work includes the creation of 355 Marine Protected Areas protecting 25% of UK

waters, including the recent designation of 41 Marine Conservation Zones. On 8 June

we announced a review into Highly Protected Marine Areas in England, which is due

to report by early 2020.



Seed Potatoes: Exports



Department has to support seed potato exporters in the event that the UK leaves the EU

without a deal.

George Eustice:


Prorogation.

Sewage: Waste Disposal



she has made of the potential financial effect of changes to septic tank regulations due to

come into force on 1 January 2020 on property owners.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.



Government plans to compensate property owners with septic tanks for the expense of

(a) upgrading and (b) replacing existing tanks in order to make those tanks compliant by

1 January 2020.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Sharks: Animal Products



taking to prevent the export of shark fins from the UK.


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

shark fins were exported from the UK in each of the last five years.

George Eustice:

In 2014, 2015 and 2016 there were no exports of shark fin products. In 2017 there

were 50 tonnes exported and in 2018 there were 35 tonnes exported.

The UK has banned shark finning through the EU Council resolution 605/2013 that

states that all sharks must be landed with their fins naturally attached to the carcass






to reduce the risk of finning occurring. We continue to champion this provision being

adopted globally.

There are no legal constraints on exporting shark fins from the UK per se. However,

we have domestic legislation (e.g. the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Tope

Order) which places emphasis on conservation of threatened or endangered species,

establishing a legal framework for the protection of such species as well as

jurisdiction over fisheries.

In addition to domestic legislation, there is regional protection through rules in the

Common Fisheries Policy – either through prohibitions, catch limits and/or gear

restrictions (e.g. deep sea net restrictions), and through Regional Fisheries

Management Organisations (RFMOs).

We also have international protection through a number of agreements such as the

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the

Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) and the Sharks MoU.

The UK continues to press for stronger regional and international controls. The UK

played a leading role in successfully championing the listing of an additional 18 shark

species to appendix II of CITES at the Conference on Parties in August this year. A

CITES listing provides significant conservation benefit by ensuring trade is monitored

and can only take place in a sustainable manner.

Squirrels



Department is taking to (a) protect red squirrels in Northumberland and (b) tackle the

damaging effect of the invasive grey squirrel species.

Rebecca Pow:

This is a devolved matter. The information below only relates to England.

The Government is committed to protecting and expanding red squirrel populations

and tackling the threats that grey squirrels pose to them. The Forestry Commission

and Natural England are members of Red Squirrels Northern England, a red squirrel

conservation partnership project managed by Northumberland Wildlife Trust, which

works in seven northern counties, including Northumberland. The Forestry

Commission has also partnered with the Mammals Trust UK and Newcastle

University on the Northumberland Kielder Forest Project, which considers the role

that forest management can have in conservation of the species.

The Forestry Commission undertakes actions to protect red squirrels from the impact

of grey squirrels more widely as outlined in the Grey Squirrel Action Plan for England.

This includes providing woodland management advice on maintaining red squirrel

habitat and managing grey squirrels, including advising land-owners that receive

funding through the Countryside Stewardship scheme who choose to control grey

squirrels.


Defra, Natural England and the Forestry Commission are signatories to the United

Kingdom Squirrel Accord, working with over 30 other signatories, including Red

Squirrels Northern England, to secure and expand red squirrel populations. Defra, in

partnership with the Accord, has provided funding for work by the Animal and Plant

Health Agency for the development of a fertility control method for grey squirrels. This

research continues to show promise as one potentially effective and humane method

to control grey squirrel numbers in the longer term.

Tree Planting


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

Government is taking to increase the rate of tree planting.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Trees: Urban Areas


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

plans to develop a national plan for inner city trees.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Waste Disposal: Finance



Department is taking to inform local authorities of changes to financing waste collection

as a result of the policies contained in the document entitled, Our Waste, our resources: a

strategy for England.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Waste: Exports


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

has made of the number of people prosecuted for illegal waste exports in each of the last

12 months.





Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Wheat: Allergies



Department is taking to raise awareness of the allergenic materials in compostable

straws made of wheat.

Rebecca Pow:


Prorogation.

Wildlife: Conservation



taking to protect UK wildlife from extinction.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

EXITING THE EUROPEAN UNION

Brexit


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department

plans to publish civil service advice on the effect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Gloria De Piero: [292185]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the oral

contribution of 25 September 2019 from the Prime Minister, Official Report column 791,

when he plans to publish the details of the cross-party talks on the UK's exit from the EU.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.






To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if his Department will

publish their most recent impact assessment of the effects on the UK of the UK leaving

the EU without a deal.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Brexit: Cost Benefit Analysis


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will publish his

Department's cost-benefit analysis of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Brexit: Negotiations

Justine Greening: [292176]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will set out the details

of the UK’s negotiation request to the EU on the terms of the UK's departure from the EU;

and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Justine Greening: [292178]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what plans he has for a

White Paper setting out what the Government is seeking to achieve in negotiation of the

UK's (a) exit from and (b) new partnership with the EU.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Brexit: Scotland

Kirsty Blackman: [290913]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, for what reasons the UK

Government rejected the Scottish Government's proposals for the UK to remain in the

Single Market and Customs Union, as set out in its 2016 paper, Scotland's place in

Europe.






James Duddridge:

The Prime Minister has been clear that we will be leaving the EU on 31 October

whatever the circumstances. The people gave their instructions to Parliament in the

referendum in 2016, and now we must deliver on that pledge.

The UK Government’s ambition is for an ambitious FTA, as sovereign equals, without

obligation to vast alignment or harmonisation commitments. This will involve leaving

the Customs Union and Single Market, in order to have full regulatory control so that

we can be free to set our own laws and to strike trade deals.

The details of this partnership will be a matter for negotiation with the EU after we

leave the European Union. We are preparing for that negotiation, and will work with a

wide range of partners, including the devolved administrations, to ensure a

successful outcome that delivers in the interests of all parts of the UK.

Brexit: Statutory Instruments


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the oral

contribution of 27 June 2019, Official Report, column 795, how many Statutory

Instruments will not have been enacted in the event that the UK exits the EU on 31

October; and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge:

The Government is confident that all the necessary legislation will be in force to

ensure a functioning UK statute book on the 31 October.

To date, the Government has laid over 600 Brexit statutory instruments (SIs) to

prepare the UK for leaving the EU in any scenario.

All Brexit-related SIs laid before the House can be found on legislation.gov.uk and

GOV.UK. The SIs and their accompanying documents will indicate their procedure.

Debates for affirmative SIs will be scheduled in the normal way and time will be found

for debates once the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Secondary

Legislation Scrutiny Committee have had time to consider the SIs.

Business: Northern Ireland

Tom Brake: [294087]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment his

Department has made of the economic effect of the Prime Minister’s proposed EU exit

deal on businesses in Northern Ireland with regard to the imposition of checks on both

the North-South and the East-West border.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.



Tom Brake: [294088]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment his

Department has made of the potential effect on Northern Irish businesses of the

Government's proposals of 2 October 2019 on the UK's exit from the EU.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Brexit


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many meetings

officials in his Departmental have had with EU officials in each of the last twelve months.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Chief Scientific Advisers


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many meetings he had

with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

James Duddridge:

Between 1 June 2019 and 31 August 2019, the Secretary of State met with Eoin

Parker, Chief Scientific Adviser at DExEU, on 8 occasions. It should be noted that

this is a dual role for Eoin Parker, and is combined with his position as the co-Director

of Market Access and Budget.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Crispin Odey


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will publish (a) the

outcome of all meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of his Department and Mr

Crispin Odey.

James Duddridge:


Department for Exiting the European Union: Jainism


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will invite

representatives of the Jain community to national events organised by his Department;







James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Temporary Employment

Dr Rupa Huq: [287669]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what proportion of his

Department's staff are on short-term contracts.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Termination of Employment

Dr Rupa Huq: [287668]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the average length of

service was for staff that have left his Department since its formation.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Travel


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how much his Department

spent on ministerial travel by (a) first class, (b) second class and (c) in total in 2017.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how much his Department

spent on ministerial travel by (a) first class, (b) second class and (c) in total in 2018.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Food

Tom Brake: [294672]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, at which forthcoming EU

meetings on food and drink will UK officials not be present.






James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Industry: Northern Ireland

Tom Brake: [294086]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has

had with representatives of Northern Irish industry on the effect of the Prime Minister’s

proposed EU exit deal and the imposition of a North-South and an East-West border.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has

made of the Government's level of preparedness within the automotive industry in

September 2019 compared to March 2019; and what plans the Government has put in

place to protect the automotive industry's just-in-time supply chain.

James Duddridge:

The UK automotive industry remains one of our great success stories, and we are

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

locations in the world for automotive after we leave the European Union. The

Government is in regular dialogue with businesses in the automotive sector, including

those in the supply chain.

We recognise that adapting to new regulatory requirements takes time, so the

Government will provide continuity in goods regulation for a temporary period after

exit day. If UK manufacturers, distributors and importers continue to meet EU

requirements, their goods can still be placed on the EU market.

Since March 2019 the Government has updated technical notices on placing

manufactured goods on the UK : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-

goods-on-the-uk-market-if-theres-no-brexit-deal#non-harmonised-goods and EU :

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-goods-on-the-eu-internal-market-

if-theres-no-deal markets after Brexit. There also exists dedicated, tailored advice

available for the automotive sector. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-automotive-

sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit

In the event of a no deal exit, tariffs will not apply to car parts. Furthermore, the

Government will continue to apply zero tariffs to steel imports, ensuring the

continuation of supply of a key material for UK automotive production.



https://www.gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-goods-on-the-uk-market-if-theres-no-brexit-deal#non-harmonised-goods

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-goods-on-the-uk-market-if-theres-no-brexit-deal#non-harmonised-goods

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-goods-on-the-eu-internal-market-if-theres-no-deal





https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-automotive-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-automotive-sector-and-preparing-for-eu-exit


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the

findings of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Motor Industry Facts 2019

report that in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal 52.6 per cent of UK

produced cars are exported to the EU, what steps the Government plans to take to

support the automotive industry in the event that the UK leave the EU without a deal and

exports of those cars are subject to a 10 per cent tariff in line with WTO rules.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

NHS: Drugs


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if she will publish her

Department's latest assessment of the effect on the supply of medicines to the UK of the

UK leaving the EU without a deal.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Ports


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he plans to

undertake test exercises at UK ports to ensure the preparedness of those ports in the


James Duddridge:


Prorogation.

Social Security Benefits

Afzal Khan: [292997]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps are being taken

to ensure (a) asylum support payments and (b) other welfare payments will (i) be

available to and (ii) provide adequate support to those most vulnerable to (A) rising food

prices and (B) food supply disruption in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a

deal.

James Duddridge:


Prorogation.





FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Animal Products: Imports


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic

steps he is taking to end trophy hunting imports throughout the world.

Mrs Heather Wheeler:

There are differing views on trophy hunting imports, which is why the British

Government recently announced plans to launch a consultation on further restricting

the import and export of hunting trophies to and from the UK. In addition, the UK

continues to work hard within international forums, such as the Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to

ensure that wildlife is used in a sustainable and well managed way.

Bahamas: Hurricanes and Tornadoes


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his

Department has provided to people affected by storm Dorian in the Bahamas.

Christopher Pincher:


Prorogation.

Burma: Arms Trade

Lyn Brown: [294693]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his

policy (a) to impose sanctions on companies linked to the military of Myanmar and (b) to

take diplomatic steps to encourage other countries to impose such sanctions.


We agree that the interests of the Myanmar military and companies linked to it are

deeply entrenched across Myanmar's economy. But targeted sanctions on specific

commercial entities are difficult, as those entities are not always wholly controlled by

the military. Any decision to impose sanctions on such entities would have to be

carefully considered. Targeting companies or whole sectors could disrupt Myanmar’s

financial system, harm economic development across Myanmar and inadvertently

harm vulnerable people. We continue to discuss with international partners whether

we can add further targeted sanctions against those responsible for human rights

violations in a way that minimises the impact on the people of Myanmar.




Burma: Religious Freedom


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his

policy to submit a resolution to the UN Security Council requiring members of the

Myanmar military responsible for the persecution of Christians and Muslims to be

investigated by the International Criminal Court.

Dominic Raab:

We are clear that there should be accountability for the atrocities set out in the

reports of the UN Fact Finding Mission on human rights abuses in Myanmar. We

assess, however, that there is insufficient support amongst Security Council

members for a referral to the International Criminal Court at this time. The UK has

nonetheless taken steps to maintain the international spotlight on the atrocities

committed. In October 2018 the UK organised for the UN Fact Finding Mission to

brief the UN Security Council on its findings. The UK was also instrumental in

securing a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council to set up an independent UN

mechanism to collect and preserve evidence on the atrocities. This will help to ensure

future prosecutions are possible through domestic or international mechanisms.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

representations he has made to his Myanmar counterpart on the repression of Kachin

Christians in that country.

Dominic Raab:

The UK regularly voices its concerns about democratic and religious freedoms for

minorities in Myanmar. In July, the Ambassador met the Minister for Religious and

Cultural Affairs to discuss religious freedom and Christians in Myanmar.

Our ambassador also called Reverend Samson, President of the Kachin Baptist

Church, in July. The Ambassador voiced his support after the military brought false

legal charges against Reverend Samson. The charges have since been dropped.

The UK also works with a number of civil society organisations to improve religious

freedom.

China: Uighurs


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment

he has made of the adequacy of (a) governance and (b) humanitarian situation in (i)

Uighur and (b) Xinjiang province, China.


“It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available

before Prorogation.”




Christianity: Oppression


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will have

discussions with his counterparts in (a) the G20 and (b) the G7 on tackling persecution of

Christians overseas.


Over recent months, the UK has raised Freedom of Religion or Belief concerns,

including the worldwide persecution of Christians, bilaterally and through multilateral

institutions such as the UN, EU and OSCE. At the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in

April, we discussed our concerns on the resurgent forms of racism, and

discrimination that includes the targeting of Christian minorities. We reaffirmed our

dedication to uphold the rights of all to hold and manifest their religion or belief, both

privately and in public. We will consider whether to raise our concerns in subsequent

G7 and G20 Foreign Ministers' meetings.

Diplomatic Service

Rachael Maskell: [293642]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and

what proportion of the members of Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service are (a) serving

overseas and (b) have served overseas in each year since 2010.


The table below provides the number and proportion of Her Majesty's Diplomatic

Service serving overseas each year since 2013:-

MAR-13 MAR-14 MAR-15 MAR-16 MAR-17 MAR-18 MAR-19 AUG-19

Number

of

Diplomatic

Service

members

posted

overseas

1600-

1699

1400-

1499

1400-

1499

1400-

1499

1400-

1499

1500-

1599

1700-

1799

1600-

1699

Proportion

of

Diplomatic

Service

members

posted

overseas

48% 47% 47% 45% 45% 48% 52% 51%



The statistics above exclude FCO Home Civil Servants who are working in an

overseas post. Up until 1st April 2015, Department of Trade staff (former UKTI) were

included in FCO staff headcount.

We are unable to provide headcount information prior to 2013. As reported in the

2012/13 FCO Annual Report and Accounts at page 29, in February 2013 the FCO

realigned previous staffing figures, adopting a new methodology in line with Office for

National Statistics guidelines.

Numbers have been released in bands rather than absolute values in line with current

publication policies for FCO headcount.

Egypt: Diplomatic Relations



assessment he has made of the strength of the UK's diplomatic relations with Egypt.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

The UK wants Egypt to succeed as a stable, prosperous and democratic country. The

UK-Egypt relationship is important and spans a wide range of fields, from foreign

policy, to trade and investment, economic reform, education, and healthcare. British

companies continue to be one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment into

Egypt. The Government works closely with the Egyptian authorities to counter shared

threats from terrorism, to promote the safety and security of over 450,000 British

citizens who visit Egypt each year, and to support longer-term reform. A close

relationship enables us to register concerns where we have them, for example on

human rights. British Ministers regularly meet their Egyptian counterparts. I visited

Cairo last month for discussions on a wide range of bilateral issues.

Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation

Nic Dakin: [292219]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affiars, what assessment

he has made of the level of compliance of signatories with Article VI of the Treaty on the

Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; and what recent discussions he has had with his

counterparts in states with nuclear weapons on reducing their stockpile of nuclear

weapons.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has been a success.

Over the last 50 years it has minimised the proliferation of nuclear weapons; provided

the framework for significant levels of nuclear disarmament – the UK has reduced its

warhead numbers by over half since their Cold War peak – and provided the

framework to develop secure and safe peaceful uses of nuclear energy globally.

The UK continues to work with its allies to encourage all possessor states to

recognise their responsibilities and remain committed to the gradual multilateral

disarmament negotiated within the framework of the NPT, as the security situation



allows. For example, the UK is chairing the P5 process, a forum for the UK, US,

France, China and Russia to discuss disarmament and non-proliferation issues. It

builds trust and confidence, and contributes to improving the current security

environment. The UK also plays a leading role on nuclear disarmament verification,

which will ensure technologies and procedures are in place to provide confidence that

nuclear weapons have been eliminated.

Palestinians: Health Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons

the Government did not support the UN Commission of Inquiry's report into potential

violations of international law and the protection of healthcare in Palestine.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

The UK abstained on the UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for a

Commission of Inquiry on the basis that the substance of a resolution must be

impartial and balanced. We could not support an international investigation that

refused to explicitly call for an investigation into the action of non-state actors such as

Hamas. It is clear that Hamas hold significant responsibility for encouraging violent

protest in Gaza, which is totally unacceptable. However, our vote does not mean that

we will hold back from voicing or raising concern about Israel’s actions when

warranted. The UN and its member states have every right to address these grave

matters in a measured, balanced and proportionate way. In future, the UK will

continue to support scrutiny of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the

Human Rights Council, so long as this scrutiny is justified and proportionate. We

have repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in

which the Israel Defense Forces police non-violent protests and the border areas,

including the use of live ammunition. We call on Israel to adhere to the principles of

necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest.

Prosperity Fund: Brazil


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the

Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Brazilian Governments on the £20

million of investment allocated from the Prosperity Fund.

Dominic Raab:

Minister Burns signed a Memorandum of Understanding covering use of the £20

million we are investing in the Energy Programme using monies from the Prosperity

Fund. We plan to publish it in due course.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of

the Government’s investment in Brazil out of the Prosperity Fund has been allocated to

programmes that strengthen environmental protections in that country.




Dominic Raab:

Several Prosperity Fund programmes contribute to environmental issues in Brazil.

The Green Finance programme supports work to improve the availability of private

sector finance for high quality, sustainable infrastructure investment. The Energy

programme will support Brazil's low-carbon transition by improving access to

affordable, reliable and sustainable energy. The Future Cities programme will help to

make more efficient use of resources and reduce transport pollution. The

Government has, respectively, committed £5 million, £25 million, and £20 million to

these programmes.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of

the Government’s investment in Brazil out of the Prosperity Fund has been allocated from

Official Development Assistance.

Dominic Raab:

Almost all of the Government's investment in Brazil through the Prosperity Fund has

been allocated from Official Development Assistance. There is a small non-ODA

budget allocated by the Treasury to the Prosperity Fund to support Secondary

Benefits work.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the

amount of money the Government plans to invest in Brazil out of the Prosperity Fund for

each of the next four years; and to which programmes that investment will be allocated.

Dominic Raab:

The Government plans to invest £51.7million in Brazil through the Prosperity Fund

over the next four years: £14.4 million in 2019/20, £17.2 million in 2020/21, £15.2

million in 2021/22 and £4.9 million in 2022/2023. This funding will be allocated to our

Future Cities, Energy Trade Facilitation, and Green Finance programmes.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the

Government plans to stop the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen and call for

a nationwide ceasefire.

Dr Andrew Murrison:


Prorogation.

Seas and Oceans: Nature Conservation


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is

on the UK's role in global ocean conservation.






The UK's vision is to achieve a clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically

diverse ocean. As set out in the Government's 25 Year Environment Plan, we will

work domestically and internationally to deliver this vision and our commitments

under UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Life Below Water, the objective of

which is to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources for

sustainable development. At the UN General Assembly in September, the Prime

Minister called for urgent action to halt the loss of biodiversity as part of global efforts

to tackle the drivers and impact of climate change. Action on climate change is linked

to ocean conservation – tackling acidification, deoxygenation, temperature and sea

level rise. The UK's nomination, in partnership with Italy, to host COP26 in 2020 in

Glasgow is expected to be formally confirmed at COP25 (the "Blue COP") in

Santiago in December. We will seek to build on the outcomes from COP25 and

ensure that the ocean remains high on the climate agenda.

Slavery


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to

the announcement by the former Prime Minister the Rt Hon. Theresa May at the

centenary conference of the International Labour Organisation on 11 June 2019 of the

creation of an International Modern Slavery and Migration Envoy, by what date that post

will be appointed, what the remit of that post is; and for what reasons that post is

responsible for both modern slavery and migration.


One of the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act

was the establishment of an international modern slavery envoy, to represent the UK

in international discussions on modern slavery and to advance the government's

objectives on this vital agenda.

HMG expects to announce the name of the successful candidate shortly.

The FCO have agreed with other relevant Government Departments that this role will

be most effective if it is combined with the existing migration envoy role. In

international settings, trafficking and migration are often covered in the same

dialogues, and we believe that similar skills would be required for both components of

the role. This also reflects the joint roles of some of our interlocutors in key capitals.

However it is important that trafficking should not be seen through a purely migration

prism, and vice versa.

South East Asia: Diplomatic Service


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his

Department has budgeted for the (a) establishment and (b) operation of a permanent

British diplomatic mission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.




The UK has close connections with the ten countries that make up the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and we are rightly looking to strengthen our links

with this important region of the world after we exit the EU.

The new UK Ambassador to ASEAN is expected to take up the role in Jakarta this

autumn, with the Mission fully established and operational by the end of the current

Financial Year. The Mission is co-located with the British Embassy in Jakarta. The

estimated budget for establishing it is £700,000; the full costs will be known once the

necessary works have been completed. It is estimated that the annual budget for

operating the Mission, once fully established, will be approximately £750,000.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Wes Streeting: [294221]


assessment he has made of the progress made by the Government of Sri Lanka on the

implementation of UN Human Rights Council resolutions on that country.


We continually assess the progress made by the Government of Sri Lanka on the

implementation of UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolutions 30/1, 34/1 and

40/1. In March when the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

issued its latest Annual Report, we agreed that progress had been made. We

welcomed the restoration of important democratic checks and balances,

improvements in freedom of expression and assembly, the return of some military-

held civilian land, the establishment of an Office of Missing Persons and the

ratification of the Convention on Enforced Disappearances.

However, we want to see further and faster progress. We continue to urge the

Government to establish the full range of transitional justice mechanisms envisaged

in the UNHRC resolutions, to deliver meaningful devolution through constitutional

reform, replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act with human rights compliant

legislation, and return all remaining military-held private land. During his recent visit to

Sri Lanka on 2-3 October, Lord Ahmad encouraged the Government of Sri Lanka to

deliver fully on its commitments made to the UNHRC and to develop a

comprehensive and time-bound implementation strategy.

Syria: Armed Conflict



discussions he has had with his (a) Chinese and (b) Russian counterparts on violence

against civilians in Idlib, Syria.



Dr Andrew Murrison:

The UK frequently discusses the violence against civilians in Idlib with Russia and

China in meetings of the UN Security Council, most recently on 30 September. The

UK was recently involved in textual negotiations with Russia and China and other

Security Council members on a draft resolution on Idlib which was, to our great

disappointment, vetoed by Russia and China on 19 September. The previous Prime

Minister raised the situation in Idlib with President Putin at the G20 Summit on 28-29

June.

Syria: Yazidis


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking to help protect Yazidi women from sexual assault in north-eastern

Syria.

Dr Andrew Murrison:


Prorogation.

Tibet: Climate Change


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions

he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the effect of climate change on Tibet.




Ukraine: NATO



discussions he has had with his Ukrainian counterpart on that country's prospective

membership of NATO.

Dominic Raab:

The United Kingdom continues to support NATO's Open Door policy under which all

European democracies are entitled to pursue NATO membership. The decision over

whether to seek NATO membership is a matter for the people and government of

Ukraine. Last month the Minister for Europe and the Americas met with Foreign

Minister Vadym Prystaiko and Vice Prime Minister for European Integration Dmytro

Kuleba, and discussed Ukraine's long-term aspiration to membership of NATO. We

continue to support Ukraine's path to Euro-Atlantic integration.




Wildlife: Smuggling

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: [293658]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.




Yemen: Armed Conflict


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department has

authorised the sale of telecommunications equipment to (a) Saudi Arabia and (b) the

UAE for use by the armed forces of those countries to direct operations of their front-line

troops in conflict in Yemen.

Dominic Raab:

The Government has a transparent export licensing system and publishes quarterly

and annual statistics, including details of export licences granted, refused and

revoked. We will not issue any export licences that are inconsistent with the

Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Asbestos: Diseases


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to

ensure that the most effective drugs for treating asbestos-related disease are available

on the NHS.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Asthma: Prescriptions

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: [293683]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has

to add asthma to the list of long-term medical conditions that are exempt from

prescription charges.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.





Bedford Hospital NHS Trust: Medical Equipment

Mohammad Yasin: [293688]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much has been spent on

diagnostic equipment for cancer including MRI and CT scanners at Bedford Hospital NHS

Trust in each year since 2010; and what the average spend on diagnostic equipment for

cancer was per capita year in each of those years.

Jo Churchill:

The organisation-specific per capita information requested is not held centrally.

On 27 September the Government announced a £200 million programme of spending

to replace MRI machines, CT scanners and breast screening equipment across the

country. The equipment will improve the quality of screening and speed of diagnosis

and is part of the Government’s commitment to ensure 55,000 more people survive

cancer each year. Recipients of this funding will be confirmed in due course.

Bedford Hospital: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the funding

announced for the merger of Bedford Hospital Trust and Luton and Dunstable University

Hospital Trust will be allocated to improving infrastructure and facilities at Bedford

Hospital.

Edward Argar:

The Bedford Hospital Trust and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital Trust were

awarded £99.5 million in sustainability and transformation partnerships funding, as

one of the 20 hospital upgrades announced in August 2019, for their Merger Enabling

scheme.

The proportion of funding to be allocated to improving infrastructure and facilities at

Bedford Hospital will be determined as part of the next business case.

Bedford Hospital: Luton and Dunstable Hospital


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the planned

merger of Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable Hospital, if he will maintain the

current level of services at Bedford Hospital.

Edward Argar:

Powers under Section 56A and 56AA of the NHS Act 2006 enables a National Health

Service foundation trust to merge with another foundation trust or NHS trust. The

trusts are required to make a joint application to NHS Improvement for any merger to

go ahead. Where a merger involves an NHS trust, this must also be supported by the

Secretary of State.




It will be for NHS Improvement as the independent regulator to be assured that the

integration of services within the planned merger of Bedford Hospital and Luton and

Dunstable Hospital ensures the delivery of high-quality NHS services.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: East Lancashire Hospitals

NHS Trust

Gordon Marsden: [293466]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in what capacity NHS

Improvement gave advice to the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

between June 2019 and September 2019 on the appropriateness of the Trust (a)

discussing the possibility of merging services and provision between the Trust and the

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) the potential for the East Lancashire Trust's

Chief Executive, Kevin McGee, to operate as the permanent Chief Executive of both

trusts.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consultation NHS

Improvement had with hon. Members whose constituencies fall within the area served by

the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on their discussions and advice

to the Trust between June 2019 and September 2019 on (a) the possibility of merging

services and provisions and (b) on allowing the East Lancashire Trust's Chief Executive

Kevin McGee to operate as the permanent Chief Executive of both trusts.

Edward Argar:

The Chair at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Chair at

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust sought the views of NHS England and NHS

Improvement on the possibility of merging services and provision between the two

Trusts.

Both Trusts were able to provide assurances that their proposals would bring

benefits, to both organisations, and improve the care of patient populations in

Blackpool and East Lancashire. On this basis NHS England and NHS Improvement

were able to respond that they had no objections to the proposal. Final approvals will

be needed from within their own organisations.

NHS England and NHS Improvement has had no direct engagement with hon.

Members whose constituencies fall within the area served by the Blackpool Teaching

Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, on their discussions and advice to the Trust

between June 2019 and September 2019.

The appointment of a Chief Executive in an NHS foundation trust is the responsibility

of the trust’s non-executive directors, including the chair, with approval from the

Trust’s council of governors.



Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Public Appointments


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what cognisance NHS

Improvement took of the oral contribution of the Minister for Health of 27 June 2018,

Official Report, column 1002, on irregularities of process that had taken place including at

NHS Improvement in respect of the appointment process for the Chair of the Blackpool

Trust, Pearse Butler, when advising the Chair of the Trust between June 2019 and

September 2019 on those matters.

Edward Argar:

There were a number of issues raised around the appointment process for the Chair

of the Blackpool Trust on 27 June 2018. NHS foundation trusts operate within a clear

accountability framework. It is for the governors of a Foundation Trust to appoint the

chair. NHS Improvement is not involved in the recruitment of chairs of foundation

trusts unless there is a breach of the licence. In the appointment of the Chair of

Blackpool Trust the Chief Executive voluntarily stood down from all of the interview

process prior to the appointment.

The recommendations arising from the Kirkup Review and subsequent Kark Review

provide a mandate for reviewing and strengthening NHS Improvement’s role in

providing oversight and support relating to board-level appointments in both NHS

trusts and foundation trusts.

The improvements being developed are informed by an appreciation that no single

intervention in board appointments will result in provider organisations being better

led. But, a more coherent, structured approach is needed - one that works across the

whole life cycle of an individual board member and which is aligned to other

leadership improvement initiatives.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent research she has

commissioned on the safety of (a) milk and (b) meat that enters the human food chain of

cattle slaughtered as a result of bovine TB incidence.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Bowel Cancer: Health Education


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken

to increase public awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer.




Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Bowel Cancer: Screening


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken

to improve diagnostic rates of the NHS bowel cancer test.

Jo Churchill:

The Government committed in the NHS Long Term Plan published in January to

modernise the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) to detect more cancers

earlier. The plan will modernise the BCSP to detect more cancers earlier by lowering

the starting age for bowel screening from 60 to 50.

Further, the Faecal Immunochemical Test was rolled out in England in June 2019

following a UK National Screening Committee recommendation to replace the

previously used Faecal Occult Blood test. This test is both more accurate and more

acceptable so will contribute to saving many more lives from bowel cancer and, as an

easier test for patients to use, is expected to improve take up rates by 7%, including

among groups with low participation rates such as men, people from ethnic minority

backgrounds and people in more deprived areas.

In addition, we expect the Professor Sir Mike Richards’ Review of Screening, due to

be published soon, to identify additional opportunities to improve the uptake of bowel

cancer screening.

Brain: Injuries

Lyn Brown: [293507]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of

the number of cases where children who have experienced potentially irreversible brain

injury have been able to receive ventilation at home after a tracheostomy in each of the

last five years.

Caroline Dinenage:

Information regarding the number of children with potentially irreversible brain injury

who have been able to receive ventilation at home after a tracheostomy is not

available. Decisions regarding the clinical appropriateness of home ventilation are a

local matter and are made by clinicians in discussion with patients, their families

and/or carers on a case by case basis.

Lyn Brown: [293508]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment

of the regional consistency of treatment where children who have experienced potentially

irreversible brain injury are able to receive ventilation at home after a tracheotomy.




Lyn Brown: [293509]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether financial

considerations are involved when decisions are made by NHS trusts on the possibility of

brain injured children receiving ventilation at home following a tracheostomy.

Caroline Dinenage:

There are no current plans to make such an assessment.

NHS England directly commissions services for the care of long-term ventilated

children, up to 90 days post the fit for discharge date. This includes children who are

ventilated through tracheostomy. Clinical commissioning groups are generally

responsible for commissioning home ventilation services for children and decide, on

an individual basis, what particular package of care should be put in place for the

child in question, in conjunction with local services, education and housing as

appropriate. A decision as to whether ventilation at home after a tracheotomy is

appropriate for children who have experienced irreversible brain injury will be made

on the basis of each individual case and is likely to involve difficult decision making

around the efficacy of ongoing care and whether continuing treatment is in the child’s

best interests.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Emma Reynolds: [294698]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has

made of the potential merits of extending provision of genetic testing to all people

diagnosed with breast cancer.

Jo Churchill:

The NHS Long Term Plan sets out the ambition to extend the use of molecular

diagnostics and, over the next 10 years, to routinely offer genomic testing to all

people with cancer for whom it would be of clinical benefit.

Cancer: Children

Rebecca Long Bailey: [292923]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to

ensure that medicines to treat cancer in children are available in the event that the UK

leaves the EU without a deal.

Edward Argar:

The Department is doing everything appropriate to prepare for leaving the European

Union. We want to reassure patients that our plans should ensure the uninterrupted

supply of medicines and medical products, including those to treat cancer in children,

once we have left the EU.

The Department, as part of our EU exit preparations, is implementing a multi-layered

approach to mitigate potential disruption to supply, which consists of stockpiling

where possible, securing freight capacity, changing or clarifying regulatory




requirements, procuring additional warehousing, working closely with industry to

improve trader readiness and putting in place the National Supply Disruption

Response to manage potential shortages. Further details can be found at the

following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/medicines-and-medical-products-supply-

government-updates-no-deal-brexit-plans

Cancer: Electricity and Mobile Phones

Dr Matthew Offord: [292890]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of

the number of people with cancer that live within a mile of (a) an electricity pylon and (b)

a mobile telecommunications mast.

Jo Churchill:

No assessment has been made of the number of people who have cancer living

either within a mile of an electricity pylon or mobile telecommunications mast.

Cancer: Mortality Rates


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the mortality rate was for

people under 75 years of age with cancer in each of the last three years.

Jo Churchill:

The directly age-standardised cancer mortality rates per 100,000 population in

England under 75 years of age for each of the three most recently published years

are shown in the following table:

YEAR MORTALITY RATE

2015 136.4

2016 135.6

2017 131.8

Cancer: Screening

Jonathan Ashworth: [294725]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made

of the effect on testing timeframes of changes being made to the provision of molecular

pathology testing in cancer care and treatment.

Jo Churchill:

NHS England is mobilising the Genomic Medicine Service which brings together

existing clinical genetics services and the new genomic laboratory infrastructure. By

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/medicines-and-medical-products-supply-government-updates-no-deal-brexit-plans






consolidating genomic testing services into seven Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs),

the National Health Service is able to operate more efficiently using cutting-edge high

throughput technology and supporting make equitable access. The new service will

enable additional genomic information to inform treatment and enable turnaround

times to be kept to a minimum.

The turnaround times which are set out in the GLH service specification fall within the

existing 62 day standard for receiving first treatment for cancer.

Care Homes: Abuse


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the 67,500

allegations of mistreatment in care homes received by the Care Quality Commission in

2018, what steps the Government will take to increase prosecution rates.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department expects those providing the service, local authorities and the Care

Quality Commission (CQC) to take swift action where anyone alleges poor care,

neglect or abuse.

Since 2015, the CQC has had prosecution powers pursuant to the Health and Social

Care Act 2008. These include the criminal offence in respect of Regulation 12 (safe

care and treatment) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities)

Regulations 2014 in cases involving avoidable harm or a significant risk of avoidable

harm to service users.

Although there were 67,500 allegations of mistreatment in care homes in 2018, the

number of qualified allegations will be less than this figure. Within those qualified

allegations, not all of them will be of as significant concern as to begin legal

proceedings in the form of criminal prosecution. As such, numbers of prosecutions

will be expected to be far lower than any number of allegations.

Carers: York


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many family members

looking after a relative at home were registered as carers with the local authority in (a)

York Central constituency and (b) City of York local authority area in each year since

2010.

Caroline Dinenage:

The number of family members looking after a relative at home who are registered as

carers with their local authority is not held centrally.



Catheters: Plastics



ensure that NHS England's reduction of single-use plastics in healthcare do not prevent

best practice in approaches to catheterisation.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Any reduction in single-use plastics in healthcare would need to be supported by

research and have the backing of clinical and technical experts.

NHS England and NHS Improvement is currently focusing on reducing the use of

avoidable single use plastics in catering services. Products targeted include single-

use plastic stirrers and straws, except where a person has a specific need, in line

with the Government consultation on single-use plastic cutlery, plates or single-use

cups made of expanded polystyrene or oxo-degradable plastics.

We are committed to the National Health Service “being the safest healthcare system

in the world”. The NHS Patient Safety Strategy was published in July 2019.

Cervical Cancer: Screening



reduce waiting times for cervical screening test results.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Cervical Incompetence

Kate Osamor: [293674]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department

has made of the number of women with incompetent cervix condition.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Information is not collected in a way that would enable an assessment of the number

of women that underwent loop electrosurgical excision procedures. Information is not

collected centrally on the number of premature births linked to incompetent cervix

conditions. A count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) with primary diagnosis of

incompetent cervix, for female patients from 2016-17 to 2018-19 can be found in the

following table.

Incompetent cervix in pregnancy




2016-17 95 3,207

2017-18 99 3,387

2018-19 121 3,484

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS Digital

Cervical Incompetence: Childbirth


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many premature births

linked to incompetent cervix condition were recorded in 2018.

Ms Nadine Dorries:






following table.

Incompetent cervix Incompetent cervix in pregnancy

2016-17 95 3,207

2017-18 99 3,387

2018-19 121 3,484


Children: Mental Health


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his

Department has made of trends in the number of children being given (a) therapy and (b)

psychiatric medication for eco-anxiety; and what steps the Government is taking to

reduce those levels.



Ms Nadine Dorries:

No such assessment has been made.

Children: Social Media



of the effect on children’s mental health of anonymous abuse and threats made on social

media platforms.



of the effect on mental health of anonymous abuse or threats on online platforms such as

Twitter.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

We have not made such a specific assessment. However, in February the Chief

Medical Officers published their independent systematic map of evidence on screen

and social media use in children and young people, and recommended next steps

and advice for parents and carers. They concluded that the published scientific

research is currently insufficient to support evidence-based guidelines on screen

time, but there is enough basis to warrant a precautionary approach and action by

schools, government and technology companies.

For children and young people, we know that there can be a link between very high

levels of social media use and poorer mental health. Data from the Understanding

Society survey indicates that children who spent more than three hours using social

networking websites on a school day were twice as likely to report high or very high

scores for mental ill-health than those who spent less than three hours on social

media. However, it is unclear whether increased use causes poorer mental health or

whether poorer mental health increases social media use.

Climate Change: Epidemiology

Nic Dakin: [292210]


Department has made of the effect of climate change on the adequacy of the level of

national surveillance of disease-spreading vectors in the UK.

Jo Churchill:

Climate change has been identified as one of the factors for changes in the

distribution of arthropod disease vectors in Europe.

Specific research on climate and environmental change has been conducted through

academic collaborations under the Health Protection Research Units. Summaries of

the risks and ongoing work has been published in peer-reviewed journals. This

research can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.hpruezi.nihr.ac.uk/






Public Health England (PHE) has established surveillance and research, working with

United Kingdom academics and international partners, to prepare for current and

future vector-related risks in response to climate and environmental change. PHE’s

assessment of the public health threats posed by Vector-Borne Disease in the United

Kingdom because of climate change can be found at the following links:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(15)70091-5/fulltext

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/10/2145

Cochlear Implants


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the new cochlear implant

for deafness be available on the NHS.

Caroline Dinenage:

NHS England commissions cochlear implants for patients who fulfil the criteria as

described in the recently published he National Institute for Health and Care

Excellence report ‘Cochlear implants for children and adults with severe to profound

deafness: Technology appraisal guidance’ published on 7 March 2019 at the

following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta566

There are a number of cochlear implant devices currently available. Specific advice

about which of the devices currently available meet an individual patients

requirements would be provided by a patient’s local specialist cochlear implant

centre.

Coeliac Disease: Prescriptions

Thelma Walker: [292301]


Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a national gluten-free

prescribing scheme for England to avoid variation in prescribing policies across different

Clinical Commissioning Groups.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Degarelix



ensure the continued supply of Degaralix for the treatment of patients with advanced

prostate cancer.










Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Department of Health and Social Care: Brexit


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the

Government's worst case contingency plans related to his remit on the UK's withdrawal

from the EU.

Edward Argar:

Operation Yellowhammer is a cross-Government programme of work to ensure that

the United Kingdom is prepared to deal with the potential reasonable worst-case

scenario impacts of leaving the European Union without a deal.

On 11 September, the Government published planning assumptions for exiting the

European Union without a deal at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-humble-

address-motion

An updated version will be published in due course.

These include the Department’s planning assumptions relating to the continuity of

medicines and medicine supplies, the provision of healthcare to UK nationals within

EU Member States, and the provision of adult social care after we have left the EU.

The Department maintains robust operational plans to ensure the continuity of

services from the National Health Service and wider health and social care system,

regardless of circumstances, and will continue to do so.

Department of Health and Social Care: Carbon Emissions

Nic Dakin: [292896]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24

September 2019 to Question 290332 on Department of Health and Social Care: Energy

Supply, what initiatives are included in the on-going programme to reduce emissions; and

what the timeframe is for the implementation of each of those initiatives.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department undertakes a rolling programme of initiatives to reduce emissions.

This includes works to lighting, heating and ventilation systems and building energy

systems. We do not have a timeframe for each individual initiative. A sample of some

initiatives are listed in the following table:


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-humble-address-moion




HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING

BOILER OPTIMISATION, HEATING ADDITIVE TO

IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, SMARTCOOL (COOLING

OPTIMISATION)

Lighting Lighting upgrades including photo cell and

passive infrared sensors, replacement LED

lighting

Building Energy Monthly energy consumption dashboard

Department of Health and Social Care: Chief Scientific Advisers


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings he had


Caroline Dinenage:

For the period 1 June 2019 to 31 August 2019 my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of

State for Health and Social Care met with the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser

(CSA) three times, the CSA met with other Health Ministers on seven occasions.

Department of Health and Social Care: Crispin Odey


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish (a) the

outcome of all meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of his Department and Mr

Crispin Odey.

Caroline Dinenage:

We do not have a record of any meetings or calls taking place between Departmental

Ministers and Mr Crispin Odey.

Department of Health and Social Care: Jainism


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will invite representatives

of the Jain community to national events organised by his Department; and if he will

make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage:








Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Christian Matheson: [292268]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to answer

Question 287926 tabled on 6 September 2019 by the hon. Member for the City of

Chester.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

Keith Vaz: [R] [292093]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many flash glucose

monitors and sensors were prescribed from 1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 in each

CCG area.

Jo Churchill:

The information is not available in the format requested.

Doctors: Surrey


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many doctors there were

in hospitals in Surrey in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Argar:

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics

for England. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning

groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care, local authorities or other

providers.

Data is held by organisation not place of work. Individuals may work on more than

one site within a trust.

As at June 2019, the latest available data, there were over 1,200 full time equivalent

doctors at Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Surrey

County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS

Trust, full time equivalent.

Domestic Accidents: York


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many falls (a) at home and

(b) in total were recorded by health and social care providers in (i) York Central

constituency and (ii) City of York local authority area in each year since 2010.





Caroline Dinenage:

Patient safety remains a key priority for the Department and we are committed to the

National Health Service being the safest healthcare system in the world.

Non-NHS health and social care providers must notify the Care Quality Commission

when a person has been seriously injured while a regulated activity was being

provided. NHS providers are required to report falls and other serious incidents to the

National Reporting and Learning System which is managed by NHS England and

NHS Improvement.

However, the data compiled by the Care Quality Commission and by NHS England

and NHS Improvement in these cases is not held in the format requested.

Dornase Alfa

Sir Michael Fallon: [292069]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has

included the drug Dornase Alfa in the priority stockpiling list in the event that the UK

leaves the EU without a deal.

Edward Argar:



supply of medicines and medical products, including dornase alfa, once we have left

the EU.







following link:



All prescription only medicines and pharmacy medicines imported from or via the

EU/European Economic Area are within scope of the continuity of supply programme.

All suppliers of these medicines, including suppliers of dornase alfa, have been asked

to stockpile medicines and make other preparations as set out in our communications

to suppliers.

Drugs: Misuse


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is

taking to tackle substance abuse in (a) the City of York local authority, (b) Yorkshire and

the Humber and (c) the UK.






Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Emigration: Children



to continue funding the Family Restoration Fund for former child migrants following the

end of the current scheme.

Caroline Dinenage:

The future arrangements for the family restoration fund will be considered as part of

Departmental business planning.

European Reference Networks



for maintaining access to (a) the European Reference Network on paediatric haemato-

oncology and (b) other European reference networks in the event that the UK leaves the

EU without a deal.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Government would prefer to leave the European Union with a deal and will work

in an energetic and determined way to get a better deal. However, if we were to leave

the EU without a deal, it is expected that the United Kingdom would lose membership

of European Reference Networks. UK patients will continue to benefit from the world-

leading clinical expertise available here in the UK and patients will have the same

access to UK expertise as they do now.

Eyesight: Testing



reduce waiting times for eye care appointments.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Fertility: Medical Treatments


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS Clinical

Commissioning Groups offer IVF and other fertility treatments to single women; and how

much was spent on such treatment in the last three years.





Caroline Dinenage:

NHS England do not collect data on the number of clinical commissioning groups

(CCGs) that offer in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or their expenditure on this specific

treatment, although it is estimated that the National Health Services spends

approximately £100 million a year on IVF.

The level of provision of fertility treatment is decided by CCGs, taking into account

the needs of their local population. CCGs have a legal duty to have regard to National

Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines and NHS England and NHS

Improvement expects all those involved in commissioning fertility treatment services

to be fully aware of their importance. In taking clinical decisions about fertility

treatment and taking account of their public sector equality duty, CCGs should make

assessments based on clinical infertility and not on relationship status

General Practitioners: Postnatal Care


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to

implement the recommendation in the National Childbirth Trust's Hidden Half campaign to

add a maternal six week postnatal check to the GP contract.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

General Practitioners: Recruitment



taking to (a) recruit and (b) retain GPs.

Jo Churchill:

In January 2019 we announced in the NHS Long Term Plan that we are investing an

extra £4.5 billion in primary and community care by 2024. This was followed by the

five-year general practitioner (GP) contract, which will provide greater financial

security and certainty for practices to plan ahead and will see billions of extra

investment for improved access, expanded services at local practices, the

development of primary care networks and longer appointments for patients who

need them.

NHS England and Health Education England (HEE) are working together with the

profession to increase the GP workforce. This includes measures to boost

recruitment, address the reasons why GPs are leaving the profession and encourage

GPs to return to practice.

In 2018, a record 3,473 doctors accepted a place on GP specialty training.

Additionally, NHS England’s International GP Recruitment programme is bringing

suitably qualified doctors from overseas to work in English general practice.



We have a broad offer to support GPs to remain in the National Health Service

including the GP Retention Scheme, the GP Retention Fund, the GP Health Service

and the Releasing Time for Care Programme.

It is encouraging to see as of June 2019, over 250 more doctors, and over 800 more

nurses and other staff with direct patient care responsibilities working in general

practice compared to June 2018.

To address workload pressures and building on the success in expanding the wider

workforce, the new five-year contract for general practice will see funding towards up

to 20,000 extra staff working in GP practices, such as physiotherapists and

pharmacists. This will help free up doctors to spend more time with the patients who

need them.

The interim People Plan published in June 2019 set out the actions the NHS will take

now to secure the right staff, leadership and culture it needs to deliver the Long Term

Plan and high quality, safe care. The final People Plan will set out a broader strategy

for a sustainable general practice workforce, through both recruitment and retention

programmes.

General Practitioners: Rural Areas


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department

has made on recruiting additional GPs in rural locations.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

General Practitioners: Standards

Wes Streeting: [293663]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time

was for a GP appointment in (a) the London Borough of Redbridge, (b) Greater London

and (c) England in each of the last 12 months.

Jo Churchill:

The most recent data on the time between booking an appointment with a general

practice and having the appointment (in days) for Redbridge Clinical Commissioning

Group (CCG), London and England are presented in the following table as the

average over the 12 months from September 2018 to August 2019.

The data is taken from the NHS Digital publication ‘Appointments in General

Practice’. This is a new experimental data collection which is still being refined and

improved.

It should be noted that the ‘time from booking to appointment’ refers only to the time

elapsed between the successful booking of an appointment and the appointment

actually taking place. The data does not take into consideration that many patients



will be appropriately booking ahead as part of the continuity of care they receive for

long-term conditions.

REDBRIDGE CCG

LONDON REGIONAL

LOCAL OFFICE ENGLAND

Distribution of average time elapsed between booking an appointment

and the appointment taking place, September 2018 to August 2019.

(Numbers may not add to 100% due to rounding.)

Same Day 45% 43% 42%

1 Day 7% 8% 7%

2 to 7 Days 22% 22% 20%

8 to 14 Days 15% 15% 14%

15 to 21 Days 6% 7% 8%

22 to 28 Days 3% 4% 5%

More than 28 Days 2% 2% 5%

Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Notes:

- There are several factors that drive the time from a booking to an appointment. This

includes appointment availability at the practice, patient availability, the urgency of

the appointment and general practitioner (GP) advice.

- The data does not differentiate between emergency and routine appointments in

general practice.

- The data does not include any information about the patients or clinical information

- The data in the response includes appointments with all healthcare professional

types, including GPs and other practice staff.

- Not all practices in England are included in the appointments in general practice

publication, meaning the total number of appointments is not known.

- Same day and next day bookings are of particular interest so are presented here

separately. Further bookings are presented grouped by weeks.

- The number of appointments that have already happened is provided as recorded in

participating practices in England. The data presented only contains information

which was captured on the GP practice systems. This limits the activity reported on

and does not represent all work happening within a primary care setting.

General Practitioners: Surrey



maintain the level of out-of-hours GP cover in Surrey.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

General Practitioners: Training

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: [292981]


made of the trends in the level of GP trainees.

Jo Churchill:

The Department’s assessment is that the number of general practitioner (GP)

trainees in England has been increasing over the last 10 years. Data on the number

of doctors in general practice speciality training is available for the past eight years,

including 2019, and is provided in the attached table. Data on the number of doctors

accepting a GP training place for each of the previous 10 years is also provided in the

attached table.

Attachments:

1. PQ292981 GP Trainees Tables .docx [PQ292981 GP Trainees Tables .docx]

General Practitioners: Working Hours

Royston Smith: [292364]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what procedures are in place to

record the number of patients offered (a) evening and (b) weekend appointments at GP

surgeries.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Glaucoma: Medical Treatments


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to make the

biodegradable implant that replaces eye drops for glaucoma available on the NHS.

Jo Churchill:

Decisions about treatment should always be based on patients’ clinical needs.

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are required to commission healthcare

services that meet the needs of their local population. To achieve this, they must

assess local need, determining priorities and strategies, and commission services on





behalf of their local population; overseeing those contracts to ensure high-quality care

is provided.

National Health Service commissioners are legally required to fund treatments

recommended in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence technology

appraisal and highly specialised technologies guidance.

The future routine availability of any new or novel treatments would be subject to

large scale clinical trials demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the treatment

approach and subsequent assessments of its cost effectiveness for routine use.

GP Surgeries: Southampton



ensure local surgeries in Southampton are not understaffed.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Gynaecology: Surveys

Lyn Brown: [294122]


of the methodological adequacy of the October 2019 Outpatient Hysteroscopy Survey

being conducted by the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department currently has no plans to make an assessment of the

methodological adequacy of the October 2019 Outpatient Hysteroscopy Survey.

Lyn Brown: [294123]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (a) which patient groups were

consulted and (b) what other patient involvement there was during the design of the

October 2019 Outpatient Hysteroscopy Survey being conducted by the British Society for

Gynaecological Endoscopy.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Outpatient Hysteroscopy survey was organised by the British Society for

Gynaecological Endoscopy.

Neither the Department nor NHS England were involved in designing this survey.

Headaches: Medical Treatments

Peter Kyle: [292964]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to make new

migraine treatments available through the NHS.





Jo Churchill:

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body

that makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether selected

new medicines, including for the treatment of migraine, represent an effective use of

NHS resources. NHS commissioners are legally required to fund treatments

recommended by NICE to ensure that they can be made routinely available to NHS

patients. Wherever possible, NICE aims to publish recommendations on new

medicines within a few months of licensing.

NICE published technology appraisal guidance that recommends botulinum toxin

type A for the prevention of headaches in adults with chronic migraine in 2012. NICE

is also currently appraising the medicines erenumab and fremanezumab for the

treatment of migraine and has not yet published final guidance. NICE expects to

publish final guidance on erenumab later this month and final guidance on

fremanezumab in January 2020.

Health Professions: Pay


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) nurses, (b)

doctors and (c) allied healthcare professions in the NHS receive an annual salary of less

than £30,000.

Edward Argar:

The Department does not hold the data in the format requested and due to time

constraints was unable to obtain data.

Health Services: British Nationals Abroad

Tom Brake: [293409]


ensure that UK citizens living in the EU receive healthcare in the event that the UK leaves


Edward Argar:

The Government’s priority is to maintain reciprocal healthcare arrangements with

Member States (MS) when we leave the European Union. That is why the United

Kingdom Government has proposed consistently to all MS that existing reciprocal

healthcare arrangements (under Regulation 883) continue until 31 December 2020 in

a ‘no deal’ scenario.

I laid a Written Ministerial Statement ( HCWS1832 ) on 26 September 2019, which

sets out the current status of arrangements with Member States and outlines in detail

the support which the UK Government will provide should the UK leave the EU

without a deal.



https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-09-26/HCWS1832/


Tom Brake: [293410]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the letter to

UK citizens residing in the EU from NHS Business Services Authority dated 23

September 2019, what estimate he has made of the time it will take for his Department to

settle payments for the treatment specified in that letter; and if he will publish that letter.

Edward Argar:

The United Kingdom Government has announced it will fund the healthcare of

existing UK-insured individuals living or working in the European Union, on the same

basis as now, for a further six months after exit day if we leave without a deal. The

mechanisms and the time taken to make these payments will depend on the Member

State.

The UK is, in the first instance, seeking to use established processes and continue

making payments at country-to-country level as we do now. If Member States do not

agree to this, the UK Government will offer to pay healthcare providers in the EU

directly. The timing of the payment will depend on when providers or individuals

provide the necessary information to NHS Business Services Authority. Payments will

be made within five days after a request for reimbursement has been validated.

A copy of the letter sent to UK pensioners and benefit holders living in the EU from

NHS Business Services Authority is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-steps-to-protect-healthcare-

access-for-uk-nationals-living-in-the-eu-after-31-october


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his department

has issued to British citizens living in the EU on how to access heathcare after the UK

leaves the EU.

Edward Argar:

Everyone living in the European Union is strongly encouraged to think about their

own healthcare needs and circumstances and consider the steps they need to take to

be assured of continuing healthcare coverage.

I laid a Written Ministerial Statement ( HCWS1832 ) on 26 September 2019, which

sets out the current status of arrangements with Member States and outlines in detail

the support which the UK Government will provide should the United Kingdom leave


The Government has produced detailed advice for each country which can be

accessed at the following link:

www.gov.uk/uk-nationals-living-eu

We will provide more information as the situation develops so people are clear on

what they will need in each country. People can also sign up to email alerts to check

these country guides regularly as the situation may change as the UK gets closer to

leaving the EU.


https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-steps-to-protect-healthcare-access-for-uk-nationals-living-in-the-eu-after-31-october






http://www.gov.uk/uk-nationals-living-eu

http://www.gov.uk/uk-nationals-living-eu

The NHS Business Services Authority has sent a letter to S1 holders living in EU and

European Free Trade Association Member States, encouraging individuals to

consider their circumstances and options and to take the necessary steps to ensure

they have appropriate coverage in place. A copy of the letter is available at the

following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-steps-to-protect-healthcare-

access-for-uk-nationals-living-in-the-eu-after-31-october

Health Services: Foreign Nationals


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle

health tourism.

Edward Argar:

The Department is committed to recovering National Health Service charges from

overseas visitors and continues to support the NHS in achieving a higher rate of cost

recovery from chargeable overseas visitors and migrants and reduce health tourism

rates. This has raised over £1.3 billion since 2015, with the total amount identified

continuing to rise each year from £89 million in 2012/13 to £464 million in 2018/19.

The Government recently announced an investment of £1 million to expand a team of

NHS experts whose role is to assist and support NHS organisations to understand

the cost recovery rules and ensure they are applied fairly and consistently.

In January 2019, the Government increased the rates of the immigration health

surcharge to £400 per year, or £300 for students, to better reflect the actual costs to

the NHS of treating those who pay the surcharge. This now generates over £400

million per year for the NHS whilst reducing the administrative burden on the NHS

associated with identifying and charging eligible patients.

Since 2017, chargeable patients seeking to access treatment that is not urgent or

immediately necessary are required to pay upfront and in full before they receive the

treatment.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the EHIC system will

be continued or replaced after the UK leaves the EU.

Edward Argar:

The United Kingdom Government has proposed to all Member States that we should

maintain existing reciprocal healthcare arrangements, including the European

Healthcare Insurance Card scheme, until 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves the

European Union without a deal. I laid a Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS1832) on

26 September 2019, setting out the Department’s position on ‘no deal’ reciprocal

healthcare arrangements, and updated information has been published on GOV.UK






and NHS.UK on the situation for each Member State, including what arrangements

have been put in place. These pages will be kept updated as further assurances from

Member States are received.

The UK will consider the long-term arrangements for reciprocal healthcare once we

have left the EU.

Health Services: York


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the median waiting time

for (a) inpatient and (b) outpatient treatment was for patients in York in (i) May 2015 and

(ii) May of each subsequent year.

Edward Argar:

Median elective waiting times, in days, for inpatient admissions and first outpatient

attendances in York for May of each year from 2015 to 2019 is shown in the following

table. This is a count of admissions/attendances, not people, as the same person

may have been admitted or attended hospital on more than one occasion within any

given time period.

INPATIENT ADMISSIONS*

OUTPATIENT

FIRST

ATTENDANCES*

Number of

records with

a valid

waiting time

Median waiting time (days) Number

of

records

with a

valid

waiting

time

Median

waiting

time

(days)

May 2015 1,585 41 3,235 32

May 2016 1,705 42 5,100 35

May 2017 1,760 48 4,830 36

May 2018 1,660 42 4,620 30

May 2019 1,570 51 4,275 33

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital

Note: Admitted patient care data for May 2019 and outpatient activity for May 2018

and 2019 is provisional and subject to change.


Healthy Start Scheme



taking to increase the uptake of Healthy Start vouchers.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Heart Diseases: Females



the misconception that heart attacks do not happen to women among (a) doctors and (b)

the public.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Heart Diseases: Health Services



ensure that women receive the same standard of care as men during diagnosis,

treatment and aftercare of heart disease or a heart attack.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Hepatitis: Health Services

Jeff Smith: [292278]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were treated

for hepatitis C in England in the financial year 2018-19.

Jo Churchill:

Public Health England publishes information on the numbers of individual’s accessing

hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment in their annual hepatitis C reports.

Latest available data for 2017/18 financial year show that 11,557 people were

reported to have accessed HCV treatment in England. This can be viewed at the

following link:


ent_data/file/798270/HCV_in-England_2019.pdf

Data for the 2018/19 financial year for England will be published in 2020.





https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/798270/HCV_in-England_2019.pdf



Hepatitis: Screening



taking to ensure people who are in contact with drug treatment services are tested for

hepatitis C.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.



improve the detection of hepatitis B and C.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

HIV Infection


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26

July 2019 to Question 280282, on HIV infection, if he will place in the Library the number

of finished consultant episodes in relation to (a) primary and (b) secondary diagnoses of

HIV infection in (i) England and (ii) each English region in each year since 1989; and if he

will provide that information in the format used in the Answer of 19 March 2015 to

Question 227661.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Hormone Replacement Therapy


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has

made of the number of women that did not receive Hormone Replacement Therapy as a

result of shortages of those therapies; and if he will make a statement.



delays in the supply of HRT medications.



ensure the provision of Hormone Replacement Therapy.







Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Gender Recognition



of the effect on transgender people of the shortage of Hormone Replacement Therapy

medication.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Hospital Wards: Children and Young People



made of NHS trusts' compliance with NHS Improvement guidance on safe staffing levels

for children and young people’s wards.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

We are committed to ensuring that every trust has the support it requires, including

the guidance and tools, to determine the right level and skill mix of staff at the right

time.

There has been no specific assessment of National Health Service trusts' compliance

with NHS Improvement guidance on safe staffing levels for children and young

people’s wards.

However, systematic reviews of all relevant children’s services consider a broad

range of aspects of care and include National Quality Board guidance on safe

staffing. Any matters pertaining to workforce as a result of these reviews would be

referred to the NHS England and NHS Improvement nursing clinical workforce team,

who would then provide targeted support.

In addition, NHS trusts are required to specify the degree of their compliance with

Developing Workforce Safeguards, which explains the principles behind safe staffing.

Developing Workforce Safeguards can be accessed via the following link:

https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/developing-workforce-safeguards/

In addition, appropriate staffing levels are a core element of the Care Quality

Commission’s registration regime, which is underpinned by legislation. CQC

inspectors assess against the key lines of enquiry on safe staffing in their framework.





Hospitals: Admissions


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the most common cause

of unplanned admissions to hospitals in England is; and what steps he is taking to reduce

the need for those admissions.

Edward Argar:

The most common cause of unplanned admissions from the most recent data

available (2018/19) was for those with primary diagnosis of diseases of the digestive

system.

As part of the NHS Long Term Plan there are five workstreams that underpin the

Urgent and Emergency Care reform programme. As part of this programme steps

taken to reduce the need for admissions have included Same Day Emergency Care

which has increased the proportion of people who are not admitted overnight in an

emergency. In addition NHS 111 has been enhanced, so that over 50% of people

calling the service receive a clinical assessment over the phone and can be offered

immediate clinical advice or be referred to the right clinician for a face to face

consultation, thereby reducing the need for hospital admissions.

Hospitals: Construction


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the criteria on

which the choice of the 40 hospitals for renovation as part of his recent capital

announcement was based.

Edward Argar:

On 29 September the Government announced the largest hospital building

programme in a generation as part of a new Health Infrastructure Plan (HIP) that is

backed by a long-term programme of investment. The plan’s new, strategic approach

will ensure the health service will have world-class facilities for patients and staff for

the long term.

The HIP1 and HIP2 schemes were selected through the following process:

NHS England and NHS Improvement conducted a strategic assessment of hospital

estates and came up with a list of priority schemes. These were selected on the basis

of age and/or where a combination of other metrics that indicated a high need for

investment in the estate. This included the consideration of the high value scheme

bids submitted by providers as part of previous sustainability and transformation

partnership (STP) capital rounds, and other relevant previous representations by

trusts and STPs. The other metrics being - Estates and facilities running costs;

backlog costs; Critical Infrastructure Risk (a subset of the highest risk elements of

backlog with a potential for significant impact e.g. fire safety); unused and functionally

unsuitable space; and incidents having an impact on clinical services.



Based on that, a small number of schemes were identified as being suitable to fully

fund now, given their advanced level of readiness to deliver in near future. These are

the six projects for HIP1.

The remaining list of priority schemes was then further filtered based on a

combination of criteria, including the level of Critical Infrastructure Risk in the estate

and an overall check of the regional breakdown (to make sure no regions were over

or under-represented). This gave us the 21 projects identified to receive seed funding

to kick start their schemes, ready for building in HIP2.

Karin Smyth: [293621]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his

Department's News story of 29 September 2019, New hospital building programme, what

discussions his Department had with the NHS Property Board on those 40 hospital

building projects prior to that announcement being made.




discussions his Department had with the appropriate Sustainability and Transformation

Partnerships on those 40 hospital building projects prior to that announcement being

made.




criteria were used to assess the relative merits of those 40 hospital building projects.



Department's News story of 29 September 2019, New hospital building programme,

which NHS bodies were involved in the assessment of the relative merits of those 40

hospital building projects prior to that announcement being made.



Department's News story of 29 September 2019, New hospital building programme, how

many of those 40 hospital building projects have submitted business cases for approval.

Edward Argar:

On 29 September, the Government announced the largest hospital building




the long term.



















the six projects for HIP1.




or under-represented), and engagements through National Health Service regional

teams. This gave us the 21 projects identified to receive seed funding to kick start

their schemes, ready for building in HIP2.

HIP scheme selection was not specifically discussed at the NHS Property Board,

which did not meet during the period when final decisions were made. However, the

underlying principles and issues have been discussed previously by the NHS

Property Board and members were involved in discussions that led to the final

selection of schemes.

Schemes will be required to submit business cases to provide the required standard

assurance on the key features including patient benefits, value for money and

commercial terms etc. A number of the six HIP1 schemes have submitted business

cases to NHS Improvement previously but these will need to be developed further or

revised to align with the current scope of their scheme. The Department is looking to

speed up and streamline the business case process and approvals.



Department's News story, New hospital building programme, published on 29 September

2019, what criteria his Department used to determine which NHS trusts were eligible for

funding under that programme to develop new hospitals.

Edward Argar:

On 29 September, the Government announced the largest hospital building




the long term.















the 6 projects for HIP1.




or under-represented), and engagements through NHS regional teams. This gave us

the 21 projects identified to receive seed funding to kick start their schemes, ready for

building in HIP2.

HIP scheme selection was not specifically discussed at the NHS Property Board,

which did not meet during the period when final decisions were made. However, the

underlying principles and issues have been discussed previously by the NHS

Property Board and members were involved in discussions that led to the final

selection of schemes.

Schemes will be required to submit business cases to provide the required standard

assurance on the key features including patient benefits, value for money and

commercial terms etc. A number of the six HIP1 schemes have submitted business

cases to NHS Improvement previously but these will need to be developed further or

revised to align with the current scope of their scheme. The Department is looking to

speed up and streamline the business case process and approvals.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists



the number of people on NHS waiting lists in England in (a) 2010 and (b) 2019.

Edward Argar:

NHS England publishes performance data on a monthly basis, including the current

waiting lists for consultant-led Referral-to-Treatment (RTT).


The RTT waiting list in March 2010 was 2.42 million, compared to 4.23 million in

March 2019. The most recent data from July 2019 indicates a current RTT waiting list

of 4.37 million.

Published data on RTT waiting times is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been

diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis by (a) age and (b) gender in each of the last three

years.

Caroline Dinenage:

The information requested on pulmonary fibrosis diagnoses is provided in the

attached document.

Attachments:

1. pq293585 table [PQ293585 response.xlsx]

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

Chris Green: [292926]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) terms of reference

and (b) timeframe is for the National Bowel and Bladder Product trial undertaken by NHS

England; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage:

The National Bowel and Bladder Health (NBBH) Project was developed following a

series of workshops held between members of the Excellence in Continence (EICC)

Board and the All Parliamentary Group on continence in 2018, with the aim of

aligning objectives across existing initiatives to support the delivery of the Excellence

in Continence Care Programme. The NBBH Project terms of reference, with oversight

from the EICC Board, are being reviewed and updated by workstream membership

with an expectation that they will be finalised by the next EICC board meeting in

December when timeframes for delivery will also be confirmed.



ensure that the National Bowel and Bladder product trial undertaken by NHS England

does not result in a restriction of the full range of medical devices available for clinicians

to prescribe through Part IX of the Drug Tariff.

Caroline Dinenage:

The role of the National Bowel and Bladder Health Project is to promote and improve

patient care. Through this work, expert practitioners will be determining what

standards they require from products to meet the needs of their patients. This will be






done through a Stakeholder Council with patient, health and care professionals and

supplier involvement. We will consider carefully the output from this work and the

views of our expert practitioners and may, if necessary, make changes to the range

of products available in the National Health Service to improve patient care if we find

that existing products offer poor quality or value for money.

Infectious Diseases: Climate Change

Nic Dakin: [292209]


Department has undertaken of the public health threats posed to the UK by climate

change driven changes to vector-borne disease.

Jo Churchill:

Public Health England continually assesses the risks posed by climate change to the

changing public health threats posed by vector-borne disease. This can be viewed at

the following link:


Infectious Diseases: Research

Paul Girvan: [292974]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what research funding his

Department has allocated to the research on the treatment of vector borne diseases

prevalent in the UK.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health

Research (NIHR) and is the largest public funder of health research in the United

Kingdom. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of

human health, including vector borne diseases.

The NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections total

funding of nearly £4.7 million. It has five research themes all of which play a role in

protecting England from emerging infections and zoonoses. One of these themes

focuses specifically on Vector Biology and Climate Modelling, identifying mosquito-

and tick-borne viral threats to the UK and how the climate impacts these threats.

Paul Girvan: [292975]


of the effectiveness of funding allocated by his Department to research on the (a)

prevention and (b) cure of vector-borne diseases prevalent in the UK.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health

Research (NIHR) and is the largest public funder of health research in the United

Kingdom. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of

human health, including vector borne diseases. These applications are subject to






peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of

the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money

and scientific quality.

The NIHR Health Protection Research Unit on Emerging and Zoonotic Infections is

undertaking work on vector borne diseases including tick borne viral threats. The

commissioning of the unit was subject to the same vigour processes as all other

NIHR funded research.

Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women underwent a

loop electrosurgical excision procedure in the NHS in 2018.

Ms Nadine Dorries:






following table.


Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust: Experian



the number of individuals being subject to credit checking by Experian at Greenwich and

Lewisham NHS trust.

Edward Argar:

No individuals have been subject to credit checking by Experian at Greenwich and

Lewisham NHS Trust. Rather the Trust has conducted checks on the residency

status of patients as they are required to do by law.



Credit checking describes accessing someone’s credit history for the purpose of

assessing their suitability for credit. A person’s credit history is the factual record of

credit they have used over the last six years.

The residency check, on the other hand, looks at many sources to see whether

someone has a digital footprint in the United Kingdom as a proxy for whether they are

likely to be resident. A residency check has no impact on credit scores or reports but

simply cross-references the information provided with Experian’s existing records, to

confirm that further enquires may be required by the Trust to establish a person’s

eligibility to NHS funded care.

Lyme Disease



taking to improve the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of Lyme disease caused by tick bite.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Malnutrition

Eleanor Smith: [293691]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion

of patients readmitted to hospital were diagnosed with malnutrition in the last 12 months.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Medical Equipment


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress has been

made on ensuring the smooth flow of medical devices in the event that the UK leaves the

EU (a) with a deal and (b) without a deal.

Edward Argar:

If the United Kingdom leaves the European Union with a deal, the current regulatory

regimes will continue to apply in relation to product standards, transportation and

customs, duties and tariffs, during the implementation period.

The Department is doing everything appropriate to prepare for leaving the EU without

a deal. We want to reassure patients that our plans should ensure the uninterrupted

supply of medicines and medical products once we have left the EU.










following link:



Medical Equipment: Prescriptions


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy for

NHS England to require (a) Clinical Commissioning Groups and (b) NHS trusts that have

formularies which do not list all of the medical devices available on Part IX of the Drug

Tariff to issue guidance to clinicians on their ability to prescribe the most appropriate

medical device available through that tariff and to include a link to that tariff online.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Medical Records: Data Protection


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he approved the

practice of sharing patients’ identities with credit check firms to find overseas visitors who

can be charged; if he will take steps to put an end to that practice; and if he will make a

statement.

Edward Argar:

This Government is committed to ensuring that the public's data is used lawfully, with

respect and that the right safeguards are in place.

Eligibility for free National Health Service secondary care is based on being ordinarily

resident in the United Kingdom. Providers of this care are required by law to make

and recover charges from patients who are not ordinarily resident in the UK, unless

an exemption from charge category applies.

How they undertake the duty of establishing the residence status of their patients and

if charges apply is a matter for them but in doing so they must ensure they act without

discrimination and comply with the current legal framework.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) national and (b)

localised schemes have been devised by his Department to improve Child and

Adolescent Mental Health Services; and which external organisations or associations are

involved in those schemes.







Ms Nadine Dorries:

Local National Health Service children and young people’s mental health services are

the responsibility of local mental health trusts, funded by local clinical commissioning

groups, which all work to improve local provision in each area, through local

transformation plans, with a range of external partners.

In terms of national programmes to improve children and young people’s mental

health services, the NHS Long Term Plan, published in January 2019, commits to

ensuring that by 2023/24, at least an additional 345,000 children and young people

aged 0-25 will be able to access support via NHS-funded mental health services and

school– or college-based mental health support teams. The Plan also commits to

24/7 mental health crisis provision for children and young people that combines crisis

assessment, brief response and intensive home treatment functions and there will be

a comprehensive offer for 0-25 year olds that reaches across mental health services

for children, young people and adults.

Mental Health Services: Veterans



taking to support the mental health of veterans.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

In England, veterans access mainstream National Health Service provided mental

health services as well as the bespoke veteran specific mental health services that

NHS England and NHS Improvement have put in place.

The Transition, Intervention and Liaison service launched in 2017, supports serving

personnel who need additional mental health support as they are leaving the Armed

Forces and veterans who have mental health issues. There are three elements to the

service:

- in-reach services for those in transition, leading up to, and leaving the Armed

Forces;

- services for veterans with complex presentation; and

- general services for veterans.

Mental Health: Children


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department

has issued to schools on children’s mental and emotional health.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Public Health England has published two documents for schools on children’s mental

and emotional health. These can be viewed at the following links:



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-

emotional-health-and-wellbeing

https://www.annafreud.org/what-we-do/schools-in-mind/resources-for-

schools/mental-health-toolkit-for-schools/

This guidance complements ‘Mental Health and Behaviour’ guidance issued by the

Department for Education (2018) which is available to view at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools-

-2

Mental Illness



taking to support local authorities in managing the increase in mental ill health.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Public Health England (PHE) provides a variety of resources to support local

authorities in managing the increase in mental ill health.

PHE also provides local government with data on mental health to local authority

level via our National Mental Health Intelligence Service. This can be viewed at the

following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-data-and-analysis-a-guide-for-health-

professionals

A dedicated profiling tool on our PHE fingertips platform is available at the following

link:

http://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile-group/mental-health/

PHE published a suite of evidence for local areas and local government in August

2017 at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevention-concordat-for-better-mental-

health-consensus-statement

This includes work on Commissioning Cost Effective Interventions at the following

link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-services-cost-effective-

commissioning

These resources give local authorities the evidence they need to take action for

mental health promotion and prevention.

PHE provides support to local areas through its Prevention Concordat for Better

Mental Health and through the work of the nine PHE local centres who support local

authorities in their local areas. To date, over 70 national organisations and 70 local

authorities have signed up to the Prevention Concordat programme. The target is to

achieve full sign up of all local areas by the end of 2020/21. This work helps support

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing



https://www.annafreud.org/what-we-do/schools-in-mind/resources-for-schools/mental-health-toolkit-for-schools/



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2




https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-data-and-analysis-a-guide-for-health-professionals





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevention-concordat-for-better-mental-health-consensus-statement



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-services-cost-effective-commissioning



local government in their strategic planning and delivery of mental health work as part

of their overall work on improving the health and wellbeing of their local population.

On 7 October 2019, PHE also launched a new national resource for the public to help

them look after their own mental health and support others, Every Mind Matters. This

can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

We are supporting the recruitment of mental health social workers in local authorities

and the NHS through the Think Ahead initiative. In addition, the New Roles in mental

health social work group, led by Health Education England and Skills for Care, is

working to develop the future social work and social care workforce with local

authorities.

NHS England has developed community mental health services framework which

aims to deliver greater integration with other services that impact on mental health

and wellbeing outcomes - including primary care, general practitioners, social care,

education, housing and third sector services. This can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/the-community-mental-health-framework-for-

adults-and-older-adults/

MMR Vaccine

Jim Fitzpatrick: [292817]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has

assessed the potential effect on public health of allowing children who have not received

the MMR vaccine to start primary school in September 2019.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans

to prevent children who have not received the MMR vaccine from attending school.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

MMR Vaccine: Greater London


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what targeted action his

Department is taking to increase the take up of the MMR vaccine in London.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.



https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/the-community-mental-health-framework-for-adults-and-older-adults/






Montelukast: Side Effects



of reports that doctors have been advised to warn asthma patients using the drug

Montelukast of potential hallucinations and suicidal thoughts and other side-effects.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

Montelukast is effective in the treatment of asthma in adults, adolescents and

children aged six months and older who are not adequately controlled on their

usual/routine asthma medication and who need additional therapy. Montelukast also

helps to prevent the narrowing of airways triggered by exercise. The benefits of

montelukast have been shown to outweigh the risks in adults and children.

The very rare risk (up to 1 in 10,000 people) of neuropsychiatric reactions in

association with montelukast treatment has been known for some time and

information about adverse reactions including hallucinations and suicidal thinking and

behaviour (suicidality) are already included in the product information for

montelukast.

In September the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency published

an article in Drug Safety Update to remind prescribers of the very rare risk of

neuropsychiatric reactions with use of montelukast. The article outlines the risks and

advises healthcare professionals to evaluate carefully the risks and benefits of

continuing treatment with montelukast if neuropsychiatric reactions occur. Healthcare

professionals are reminded to report any suspected adverse drug reactions

associated with montelukast to the Yellow Card Scheme.

Mosquitoes: Disease Control

Nic Dakin: [292212]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) the cost would be and

(b) assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending the

surveillance of invasive mosquitoes to cover the whole UK.

Jo Churchill:

It is not possible to specifically attribute a cost to the potential merits of extending the

surveillance of invasive mosquitoes to cover the whole United Kingdom.

Surveillance for invasive mosquitoes was initiated by the Health Protection Agency in

2010 at UK air and seaports. This can be viewed at the following links:

https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-015-0936-9

https://doi.org/10.1111/mve.12396







NHS Property and Estates Review


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Appendix A:

Government response to review recommendations of the Government response to the

Naylor Review, published in January 2018, what progress has been made on those

recommendations accepted by the Government.

Edward Argar:

Sir Robert Naylor’s Review of NHS Property and Estates, published in March 2017,

outlined recommendations for how the National Health Service can better utilise NHS

property, in the interests of patients, National Health Service staff and taxpayers.

The recommendations were grouped into three themes: improving leadership and

capability; national planning and funding; and incentivising local action. The

Government Response to the Review, published in January 2018, accepted all 17

recommendations, with a small number ‘in part’ or ‘in principle’ and explained the

approach to implementation for each. Subsequently, we have taken a variety of

actions.

NHS Trusts: Mergers


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of services are

retained in each hospital following mergers in NHS Trusts in England in each year since

2015.

Edward Argar:

Powers under Section 56A and 56AA of the NHS Act 2006 enables a National Health

Service foundation trust to merge with another foundation trust or NHS trust. NHS

Improvement as the independent regulator does not collate the information

requested.

Every merger is different, but each will integrate the services of trusts to ensure the

delivery of high-quality NHS services. A successful merger enables trusts to join

together to gain the benefits of a larger organisation, such as releasing economies of

scale; improving patient care and manage resources more effectively than either

organisation can achieve alone.

NHS Trusts: Subsidiary Companies


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his

Department has held with HM Treasury on reductions in VAT resulting from the

establishment of wholly-owned subsidiary companies to deliver estates and property

services for the NHS.





To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate the Government

has made of the additional income NHS Trusts have received through changes in VAT

treatment following the creation of wholly owned subsidiary companies to deliver estates

and property services.

Edward Argar:

We can confirm that no such discussions have taken place. The Department wrote

out to the finance directors of all National Health Service providers in September

2017 reminding them of their responsibilities around tax and advising that tax

avoidance arrangements should not be entered into under any circumstances. We

would expect all NHS providers to follow this guidance when considering any new

arrangements or different ways of working. Given these safeguards which are in

place around tax avoidance in the NHS, no discussions have taken place between

the Department of Health and Social Care and HM Treasury.

We can confirm that no such estimate has been made. There are a number of

reasons for a Trust to set up a subsidiary company, including:

- Employ staff on more flexible and in some cases more generous terms and

conditions;

- Providing services for other trusts; and

- Being able to attract staff from the local employment market.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many proposals to form

new NHS wholly owned subsidiary companies have been assessed through the

Addendum to the transactions guidance for NHS Trusts forming or changing a subsidiary

dated November 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many proposals to form

new NHS wholly owned subsidiary companies have been received under the Addendum

to the transactions guidance for trusts forming or changing a subsidiary dated November

2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the

Government has made of the effectiveness of the process to review proposals to form

new NHS wholly owned subsidiary companies under the Addendum to the transactions

guidance for trusts forming or changing a subsidiary dated November 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress the Government

has made on planning for the review of the first year of the addendum to the transactions

guidance for trusts forming or changing a subsidiary dated November 2018.






Edward Argar:

Ministers do not have a role in approving Wholly Owned Subsidiary companies

created by NHS foundation trusts, with this role delegated by powers to NHS England

and NHS Improvement.

At the end of August 2019, NHS England and NHS Improvement had been notified of

16 business cases as part of their Wholly Owned Subsidiary review process. A

number of these are still ‘live’ cases where information is still being received as part

of the review. All cases have been reviewed to consider their relative risks, according

to the requirements of the Addendum to the transactions guidance.

When NHS England and NHS Improvement published their guidance for trusts

forming or changing a subsidiary, in November 2018, it committed to a review of the

proposals for implementing a subsidiary a year later. Work is ongoing to collect

information on the impact of the proposals; it is expected that the outcome of this

work this will be published early in 2020.

NHS: Amazon



Department is having with Amazon to ensure that the health information to be made

available through Alexa, announced on 10 July 2019, will be accessible to people with

speech, language and communication needs.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

In response to questions asked by users, the information that Amazon Alexa provides

is taken directly from the National Health Service website. This NHS-accredited

information is already available for free to anyone with access to the internet,

including those who have speech, language and communication needs. Amazon

Alexa provides an alternative way in which the public are able to access professional

NHS-verified information. This technology enables patients, including the elderly,

blind or those unable to access the internet via traditional means, to receive

professional NHS-verified health information within seconds through simple voice

commands.

NHS: Disclosure of Information


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance applies to

commissioners of NHS services on disclosure of information during any contracting

process.

Edward Argar:

The guidance which applies to commissioners of National Health Service services will

depend upon the specific Regulations they have undertaken their contracting process

through. In all instances we would expect the commissioner to adhere to good

practice in relation to procurement.



If the contracting process was undertaken following the NHS Procurement, Patient

Choice and Competition Regulations 2013 any disclosure of information should be

undertaken in line with the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

If the contracting process was undertaken following the Public Contract Regulations

2015 any disclosure of information should be in line with Clause 21.

Commissioners will also need to comply with the disclosure of information

requirements in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

NHS: Drugs


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place in the Library

each estimate that has been provided to Government since January 2019 on the potential

reduction in medicine flows from the EU to the UK in the event of the UK leaving the EU

without a Withdrawal Agreement if the Government (a) takes and (b) does not take steps

to mitigate those reductions.

Edward Argar:




The Government has published its reasonable worst-case planning assumptions for a

no-deal EU exit scenario as of 2 August 2019. These assumptions are available at

the following link:


ent_data/file/831199/20190802_Latest_Yellowhammer_Planning_assumptions_CDL.

pdf

My Department, as part of our EU exit preparations, is implementing a multi-layered

approach to mitigate potential disruption to supply on the Channel short straits routes,

which consists of stockpiling where possible, securing freight capacity, changing or

clarifying regulatory requirements, procuring additional warehousing, working closely

with industry to improve trader readiness and putting in place the National Supply

Disruption Response to manage potential shortages. Further details can be found at

the following link:


government-updates-no-deal-brexit-plans.

Dr Philippa Whitford: [293608]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, who the successful supplier

was in the tender for the Express Freight Service.

Edward Argar:

The Department is in the late stages of finalising the procurement process for the

Express Freight Service. Announcement of contract awards will be published on the


https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/831199/20190802_Latest_Yellowhammer_Planning_assumptions_CDL.pdf








Official Journal of the European Union in line with requirements under the Public

Contracts Regulations.

Tom Brake: [294083]


Department has made of the effect of reported customs delays at East Midlands airport

on the delivery of category 1 medicines.

Tom Brake: [294085]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had

with representatives from the British Nuclear Medicine Society on the delivery of medical

radioisotopes.

Edward Argar:




The department, as part of our EU exit preparations, is implementing a multi-layered






following link:



For any products that require air freight, such as some medical radioisotopes, the

Department is continuing to work with all suppliers to ensure this is in place ahead of

31 October. The Department can confirm that all relevant suppliers now have plans in

place or are already airfreighting into the United Kingdom.

The Department is also undertaking joint operational testing, with key suppliers and

other Government Departments (Border Delivery Group, HM Revenue and Customs,

Border Force) at East Midlands airport to ensure the uninterrupted flow of goods. This

testing includes medical radioisotopes.

The Department is in active communication with the British Nuclear Medicine Society

as well as with the Royal College of Radiologists and the UK Radiopharmacy Group.



made of the availability of medicines in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a

deal.







Edward Argar:










following link:



NHS: Procurement

Tom Brake: [294084]


Department has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the cost of procuring

equipment in the NHS.

Edward Argar:




The sustainability of the National Health Service is an absolute priority for the

Government. We recognise that suppliers may incur additional storage costs for

stockpiling medicines or switching to air freight as part of preparations for a potential

‘no deal’ EU exit. We have been working closely with industry to minimise costs and

support medical suppliers taking part in the contingency programme.

We are also clear that in any negotiations on future trade agreements, we could not

agree to any proposals on pricing or access that would put NHS finances at risk or

reduce clinician and patient choice.

Niraparib


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had

with Glaxo on the ovarian cancer drug Zejula.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.






Out of Area Treatment: Wales

David Hanson: [292117]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the Government’s policy is

for NHS England receiving patients from Wales for healthcare.

Caroline Dinenage:

Detailed arrangements for delivering healthcare between the National Health Service

in England and the NHS in Wales across the England-Wales border are set out in the

new ‘Statement of Values and Principles’ which can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/part-rel/x-border-health/

Parkinson's Disease: Drugs



Department has had with health bodies on the findings of recent clinical trials for

Terazosin and its potential effect of slowing down the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Patients: Transport

Sir Michael Fallon: [292068]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has

to review the eligibility criteria for NHS patient transport.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Rare Cancers: Children



made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU (a) with and (b) without a deal on access to

EU clinical trials for children with rare cancers.

Caroline Dinenage:

The United Kingdom and the European Union have a long track record of jointly

tackling global challenges with strong existing links already in place between our

research and innovation communities. We look forward to continuing our relationship

in research and innovation with the EU, regardless of EU exit.

As part of exit negotiations, we are working to ensure that we continue to have the

best possible environment in which to support clinical trials. Our overall aim is to







ensure that patients in the UK, including children with rare cancers, have access to

the best and most innovative medicines.

The Department has and continues to examine the effect on clinical trials of the UK

leaving the EU with and without a deal across a range of areas, including access to,

and mobility of, the research leaders and the technical and research delivery

workforce; access to EU research funding; the regulation of clinical trials, data and

devices; rare diseases research; and clinical trials supplies.

With regards to children with rare cancers, we are fully aware that the scarcity of

patients in any single country means that clinical research into rare diseases strongly

benefits from international collaboration.

It is important to make clear that irrespective of whether we leave the EU with or

without a deal, the UK’s ability to participate in multinational trials, in the EU or the

rest of the world, will not change and UK clinical trial applications will continue to be

authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and ethical

committees as they are now.

Beyond EU Exit, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) cancer research

expenditure has risen from £101 million in 2010/11 to £136 million in 2017/18, which

constitutes the largest investment in a disease area. The NIHR Clinical Research

Network has over 800 cancer trials and studies recruiting or in set-up. Through the

NIHR Clinical Research Network, the proportion of patients entering cancer clinical

trials and studies is more than double that in any other country for which data exists,

including the United States.

The NIHR works with Cancer Research UK to fund the Paediatric Experimental

Cancer Medicine Centre Network which plays a leading role in speeding up the

process of cancer drug development and the search for cancer biomarkers –

molecules present in blood or tissue - that can be used to diagnose cancer, predict

the aggressiveness of the disease, or show whether a drug will be effective in a

specific patient and at what dose.

Royal Liverpool Hospital: Genito-urinary Medicine


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what representations he has

received on the decision of Liverpool Royal Hospital to reduce treatment for patients

located in Wales for urinary tract care; and what steps the Government has taken to

mitigate the effect of that decision on patients' health.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients from (a)

English and (b) Welsh postcode areas have been treated at Liverpool Royal Hospital for

urinary tract care in each of the last five years.



Caroline Dinenage:

Liverpool University Hospital Trust contacted Betsi Cadwaladr University Health

Board in March 2019 to outline its position regarding urology services for residents of

North Wales. This position was twofold:

The Trust and the Health Board agreed that new referrals of bladder cancer patients

for radical cystectomy would cease from 5 April 2019. This was due to reduced

specialist surgical cover following a 12 month period of maternity leave from June

2019. Despite rigorous attempts, the Trust had been unable to provide short term

cover in this area of national staff shortage. Whilst the Trust committed to treating all

patients referred prior to 5 April, the acceptance of new referrals ended after this

date. It was therefore considered that the best course of action for patients was for

the Health Board to make alternative arrangements for new referrals.

The Trust informed the health board that it would be enacting Trust policy ensuring

that specialist urological cancer surgery was prioritised for patients within its

immediate locality.

The attached table contains the number of patients that have been treated from

English and Welsh postcode at Liverpool Royal Hospital for urinary tract care in each

of the last five years.

The Urinary Tract Outpatient number of patients will give the overall number of

patients from Wales receiving treatment or review.

Attachments:

1. PQ292118 Table [Welsh Pats Urinary Tract (002).xlsx]

Sepsis: Babies

Eddie Hughes: [293705]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress (a) his

Department and (b) the NHS has made since February 2017 on preventing and reducing

neonatal sepsis.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

The NHS England and NHS Improvement Maternity and Neonatal Safety

Improvement Programme works with every NHS maternity and neonatal service in

England, to support a culture of continuous learning and better multi-professional

working.

The programme provides structured support for local teams to develop innovative

plans for measurable improvements. This includes improving the early recognition

and management of deterioration with suspected sepsis in mothers and babies,

during or soon after birth.


Sevoflurane

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: [293684]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospitals use

Sevoflurane anaesthetic gas; and what assessment the Government has made of the

potential environmental benefits of hospitals using Sevoflurane gas rather than

Desflurane gas.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Speech and Language Therapy: Children


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of

the Children's Commissioner entitled We need to talk: Access to speech and language

therapy, published in June 2019, what plans he has to require all local areas to have a

strategic plan in place which assesses the level of speech, language and communication

in their area.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Government recognises that speech, language and communication skills are a

primary indicator of child wellbeing.

The Prevention Green Paper made clear that the Government will continue to

prioritise improving early speech and language outcomes as a preventative measure

with strategic leadership across education, health and social care to narrow

inequalities. The Government will also continue to work with local areas to support

them to put in place joined-up strategies and services at local level that give children

and families the support they need. The Prevention Green Paper is currently out for

consultation regarding how action can be taken forward.

Spina Bifida


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been

diagnosed with spina bifida in each of the last three years.



the number of children in the UK diagnosed with congenital heart disease in each of the

last five years.

Caroline Dinenage:

The following table shows the number of reported cases of spina bifida in England in

the last three years for which data are available. These data include all reported

cases of spina bifida registerable in accordance with European network of population-





based registries for the epidemiological surveillance of congenital anomalies

(EUROCAT) guidance which is available at the following link:

https://eu-rd-platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/eurocat

These data exclude spontaneous miscarriage before 20 weeks gestation and cases

of spina bifida occulta.

Number of reported cases of spina bifida in England, 2015 - 2017

YEAR OF BIRTH

NUMBER OF

REPORTED SPINA

BIFIDA CASES

TOTAL NUMBER OF

BIRTHS

(COVERAGE)

TOTAL NUMBER OF

BIRTHS IN

ENGLAND

ESTIMATED

NUMBER OF CASES

FOR ENGLAND

2015 75 141,474 667,351 354

2016 204 329,301 666,050 413

2017 181 320,013 649,330 367

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ncardrs-congenital-anomaly-

annual-data

The following table shows the estimated number of cases of congenital heart disease

in England in the last three years for which data are available. These data include all

reported cases of CHD registerable in accordance with European network of

population-based registries for the epidemiological surveillance of congenital

anomalies (EUROCAT) guidance which can be viewed at the following link


This is likely to be an under-estimate of the actual number of cases as milder forms of

congenital heart disease are often diagnosed later.

The estimated number of reported cases of congenital heart disease in England,

2015 - 2017

YEAR OF BIRTH

NUMBER OF

REPORTED CHD

CASES

TOTAL NUMBER OF

BIRTHS

(COVERAGE)

ENGLAND TOTAL

NUMBER OF BIRTHS

IN ENGLAND

ESTIMATED

NUMBER OF CASES

FOR ENGLAND

2015 706 141,474 667,351 3,330

2016 2,169 329,301 666,050 4,387

2017 2,188 320,013 649,330 4,440

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ncardrs-congenital-anomaly-

annual-data



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ncardrs-congenital-anomaly-annual-data








Stargardt's Disease


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were

diagnosed with Stargardt Disease in the last five years.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Vaccination: Children



Department has had with (a) representatives of clinical commissioning groups and (b)

families on increasing the uptake of childhood immunisation.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.



taking to tackle (a) falling rates of childhood vaccination and (b) anti-vaccine

misinformation.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Vaccination: North East


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what lessons can be learnt from

the higher rates of immunisation in the North East.

Jo Churchill:


Prorogation.

Vasa Praevia



the number of cases of Vasa Praevia in expectant mothers in the last year for which

figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nadine Dorries:

A count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a primary diagnosis or all

diagnoses of labour and delivery complicated by vasa praevia, for 2018/19 - activity






in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity

in the independent sector can be found in the following table.

. FCES

Primary diagnosis 109

All Diagnoses 194

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital

Vasa Praevia: Screening


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to introduce

routine screening in pregnancy for Vasa Praevia.

Caroline Dinenage:

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee in 2017 considered an evidence

review of screening for Vasa Praevia (VP). The review did not find sufficient evidence

to support a change in the overall recommendation for VP screening. The 2017

review can be seen at the following link:

https://legacyscreening.phe.org.uk/vasapraevia

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust: Capital Investment

Sir Mike Penning: [292170]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much West Hertfordshire

Hospitals NHS Trust has requested from his Department for capital building projects.

Edward Argar:

The Department does not hold information centrally on all submitted capital bids.

WiFi: Health Hazards

Sir Greg Knight: [292847]


made of the level of risk to human health by multiple wi-fi systems in flats and houses of

multiple occupation; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Churchill:

Public Health England advises that exposure to radio waves, including those from Wi-

Fi equipment wherever it is used, should comply with the guidelines on limiting

exposures from the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection

(ICNIRP). These guidelines underpin health protection policies at United Kingdom

and European levels. These guidelines can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.icnirp.org/cms/upload/publications/ICNIRPLFgdl.pdf








Exposures from Wi-Fi equipment are well within the ICNIRP levels as explained at

the following link. This would include when multiple systems are installed within a

building which van be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wireless-networks-wi-fi-radio-waves-

and-health/wi-fi-radio-waves-and-health

PHE continues to monitor the health-related evidence and reviews emerging around

the world and is committed to updating its advice as required.

York Hospital: Accident and Emergency Departments


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time

was for treatment in the A&E department at York Hospital in each year since 2015.

Edward Argar:

The average waiting times for treatment at York Hospital by year from 2014/15-

2018/19 are set out in the following table:

A count of unplanned accident and emergency attendances with mean and median

durations (minutes) to initial treatment at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation

Trust, 2014-15 to 2018-19

TREATMENT

Year Mean Median

2014-15 75 58

2015-16 90 69

2016-17 95 73

2017-18 93 73

2018-19 95 76

HOME OFFICE

[Subject Heading to be Assigned]

Caroline Nokes: [292202]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish research

undertaken to identify target audiences prior to launching the #knifefree campaign on fast

food containers.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wireless-networks-wi-fi-radio-waves-and-health/wi-fi-radio-waves-and-health





Kit Malthouse:

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before

Prorogation.

A34


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made

of the effects of Operation Snow Bunting planning on the A34 in (a) Oxfordshire and (b)

other counties.

Kit Malthouse:

Ministers and officials have been working closely with the National Police Chiefs

Council (NPCC) and the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) alongside the

Department for Transport and Highways England to determine the role of the police

in supporting the delivery of traffic management plans in the event of a No Deal.

Highways England are responsible for the strategic road network and have been

engaging with Local Resilience Fora to put in place local plans

Action Fraud

Sir Vince Cable: [291218]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria must reports

submitted to Action Fraud meet in order to be investigated.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to

support fraud victims whose cases do not meet Action Fraud's criteria for investigation.

Brandon Lewis:

291218: All reports submitted to Action Fraud are subject to risk assessments, which

take into account the following:

• Vulnerability of the victim(s)

• Priority crime types i.e. those assessed as the highest harm across multiple

categories

• Financial harm of individual or linked cases

• Lines of inquiry for investigations on suspect information or identifiers, i.e. account

information, email addresses, telephone numbers, websites

• Crime or not under Home Office Counting Rules

• Other risk indicators through an assessment of key words which vary over time

• Links with other reports of similar offences

291223: Action Fraud is working in conjunction with Victim Support in London to

identify vulnerable victims and provide them with additional advice and support to

stop them becoming repeat victims.




• All forces receive details of victims in their area each week, which enables them to

deliver victim support and provide advice and guidance on crime prevention

• Particularly high risk reports with victim care needs are prioritised and sent to

forces for further action

• The National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU) pilot delivers victim care

for victims whose cases have not been referred to a local police force for

investigation, covering specific force areas: City of London Police, Metropolitan

Police, Nottinghamshire, West Midlands, Kent and Greater Manchester.

• NFIB Protect Alerts are issued to the public and local neighbourhood policing

teams based on reporting trends and intelligence

• NFIB disrupts websites, emails and telephone numbers reportedly engaged in

fraud to prevent further offending

NFIB’s Project Recall alerts banks when reports of recent fraudulent transactions are

made, which often results in payments being stopped or returned to the victim.

Action Fraud is the national reporting point for fraud and cyber crime. Since April

2013, it has taken reports of these crimes on behalf of all police forces in England

and Wales. Once Action Fraud has received a crime report, that information is

considered by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). Where there is enough

evidence available and a viable lead, actionable intelligence packages are created

and sent to the appropriate police force to consider whether enforcement activity

should take place. Neither Action Fraud nor the NFIB are investigatory agencies. It is

still for local forces to consider enforcement activity. Both Action Fraud and the NFIB

are run by the City of London Police, which is the national lead force for fraud.

Action Fraud: Telephone Services


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of

the average time it takes for Action Fraud call centre operators to answer calls from the

public; and what is Action Fraud's target time is for answering such calls.



the number of people employed by Action Fraud as (a) call centre operators, (b)

investigators and (c) other staff.



the average time taken to investigate cases at Action Fraud; and what steps she is taking

to ensure Action Fraud has the resources necessary to investigate such cases.





To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has

made of the adequacy of Action Fraud's performance.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.

Agriculture: Recruitment

Bill Esterson: [292222]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is

taking to ensure the poultry meat sector has access to the labour it needs in any future

scenario.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

Kirsty Blackman: [290922]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will not impose any

restrictions on the number of seasonal agricultural workers coming to Scotland.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.

Antisocial Behaviour


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10

October 2019 to Question 257770 on Antisocial Behaviour, what recent assessment she

has made of the level of compliance by local authorities with the requirement under the

Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to publish data on their use of

Community Triggers.



of the effectiveness of (a) Criminal Behaviour Orders, (b) Civil Injunctions and (c)

Community Protection Notices introduced by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and

Policing Act 2014.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.






Asylum


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with her

counterparts in EU Member States to help ensure that take charge requests are

submitted to the UK before its departure from the EU.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

Kate Green: [R] [292230]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many organisations receive

funding from his Department through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.

Victoria Atkins:

There are currently 22 organisations receiving funding under the Asylum Migration

and Integration Fund. The Home Office is one of these organisations, the rest are

third party recipients.

Asylum: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department paid

to Sodexo to provide the Aspen card service in each year for which data is available; and

what estimate her Department has made of the future costs of that service.

Victoria Atkins:

The Home Office does not publish data on the costs of the Sodexo contract as it is

considered commercially sensitive.

As we are in the process of retendering for the payment card we are unable to

provide any information on future costs.

Ruth Smeeth: [292322]


taking to ensure that people who are in receipt of Section 4 support are able to pay (a)

travel fares which can only be purchased with cash and (b) other upfront travel costs in

order to report at Home Office reporting centres.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.





Asylum: Travel

Ruth Smeeth: [292323]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has

taken to ensure reporting frequencies are not excessively (a) burdensome and (b)

expensive for people who live in places where the journey to a Home Office reporting

centre is significant.

Seema Kennedy:


Prorogation.

British National (Overseas)

Mr Nigel Evans: [290665]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many British National

(Overseas) passports issued to people from Hong Kong remain valid.

Seema Kennedy:


Prorogation.

Burglary Task Force


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Burglary Taskforce

has met since its first meeting on 29 April 2019.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which outcomes from the

meeting of the Burglary Taskforce on 29 April 2019 have been implemented.

Kit Malthouse:

Members of the Burglary Taskforce met on 28 June to review progress on the actions

agreed at the meeting on 29 April. A further meeting of the Taskforce is planned to

take place before the end of the year.

On 1 October the Home Secretary announced a £25 million Safer Streets Fund

aimed at preventing acquisitive crime, including residential burglary, in areas

disproportionately affected by these crimes.

Care Homes: Children

Mr Steve Reed: [290859]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department

holds on the number of times police forces in England have been called to children's

homes.

Kit Malthouse:

The information requested is not held centrally by the Home Office.






Children in Care: Crime


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the (a) Howard

League for Penal Reform's publication of 8 July 2018, Know your numbers: using data to

monitor and address criminalisation and (b) work of Durham Police who are using data as

part of a programme of work with children's homes, if she will make an assessment of the

potential merits of using data to help reduce criminalisation and safeguard children living

in children's homes.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.

City of London Police: Action Fraud

John Spellar: [290643]

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

of the effectiveness of the management of Action Fraud by the City of London Police.

Brandon Lewis:

The Government’s Joint Fraud Taskforce (a coalition between government, industry,

law enforcement and the third sector) continues to lead an ambitious programme of

work to design out and prevent fraud that occurs both online and offline. This includes

theTake Five fraud awareness campaign, designed to urge the public and businesses

to take time to consider whether a situation they find themselves in is genuine.

Online personal scams are increasingly perpetrated via cyber-enabled methods. To

protect victims, the Government set up the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in

October 2016. The NCSC is the UK’s technical authority on cyber security and

provides a single, central body for cyber security at a national level. The NCSC works

very closely with law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community to help

prevent, disrupt and investigate cyber-crime and other online cyber related threats. In

2018 the NCSC took down 22,133 phishing campaigns, including 14,124 UK

government-related phishing sites, and the total number of takedowns of fraudulent

websites was 192,256, across 2018, with 64% of them down in 24 hours.

Civil Disorder



September 2019 to Question 290705 on Civil Disorder, on what dates Ministers of her

Department have met with the (a) National Police Chiefs Council and (b) the National

Police Coordination Centre since July 2019; and what were the outcomes of those

meetings.






September 2019 to Question 290704 which states that there is no intelligence to suggest

widespread public disorder, what the evidential basis was for the statement in paragraph

13 of the Yellowhammer document suggesting there may be a rise in public disorder and

community tensions.


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

contingency plans to second police officers to alternative territorial police forces in the


Kit Malthouse:

Ministers and officials engage regularly with the National Police Chiefs Council

(NPCC) and the National Police Coordination (NPoCC) to determine the impact of EU

Exit on policing and to plan accordingly. There is no intelligence to suggest that there

will be widespread disorder, however the planning assumptions contained within the

Yellowhammer document were formed through professional judgements to inform the

reasonable worst case scenario for No Deal EU Exit.

How the contingency plans are delivered is an operational matter for the police. They

have tried and tested mobilisation plans for responding to a wide range of scenarios.

We are working with the National Police Chiefs Council and National Police

Coordination Centre to ensure the plans are appropriate for a No Deal EU Exit

including any requirements for the provision of mutual aid.

Crime Prevention: Publicity


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the effectiveness of the

knife free campaign messaging on chicken boxes will be measured.

Kit Malthouse:

The #knifefree campaign is based on independent qualitative and quantitative insight

and evaluation after extensive testing with the target audience.

An independent quantitative survey will be undertaken with a robust sample of the

target audience to measure the effectiveness of #knifefree summer campaign activity,

including the fast food boxes. This evaluation captures where interviewees recall

seeing #knifefree campaign communications, as well as attitudinal measures relating

to knife crime and knife carrying.

All City Media Solutions, will also undertake a post-campaign analysis including

measuring awareness and creative effectiveness of the campaign.




Crime: York


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offences of (a) crime

related to vehicles, (b) burglary of a dwelling, (c) other burglary, (d) criminal damage, (e)

theft, (f) violence and (g) other crimes were committed in York in each financial year since

2010-11.

Kit Malthouse:

The Home Office collects data on crimes recorded by the police in England and

Wales. These data are published quarterly and available back to the 2002/03

financial year at the level of Community Service Partnership (CSP) here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables

The CSP “City of York” covers recorded crimes within York by financial year.

Crimes of Violence: Young People


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the

recommendations from the Home Affairs Select Committee in its report entitled Serious

violence, HC 1016, published 31 July 2019, whether she plans to allocate dedicated

police officers for schools located in areas with higher risk of youth violence.

Kit Malthouse:

The Government is committed to tackling serious violence and we are supporting the

police to tackle these crimes. Police funding will increase by £1 billion this year,

including council tax and the new £100 million Serious Violence Fund, which will

support action in the most affected areas. The Prime Minister and Home Secretary

also announced plans to recruit an additional 20,000 officers over the next three

years.

Decisions on the deployment of individual officers are an operational matter for Chief

Constables. In the Serious Violence Strategy, we recognise the benefits of building

positive relationships between schools and police across a range of crime issues.

Disclosure and Barring Service

Mary Glindon: [264398]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 1 of the

letter from the Cabinet Secretary of 10 April 2019 to the Public Accounts Committee

inquiry on Disclosure and Barring Service: progress review, if he will place in the Library,

copies of the independence assurance reviews of the programme conducted in February

2014 and June 2014.










inquiry on Disclosure and Barring Service: progress review, if he will place in the Library,

copies of the analysis provided by his Department's officials.




inquiry on Disclosure and Barring Service: progress review, what estimate he has made

of the increased cost to deliver modernisation as a result of the revision of the Full

Business Case.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.

Domestic Abuse

Neil Coyle: [291027]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has plans to bring

forward legislative proposals on Domestic Abuse in autumn 2019.

Victoria Atkins:

The landmark Domestic Abuse Bill was introduced in the Commons on 16 July 2019.

The Bill sits alongside a package of non-legislative measures targeted at tackling this

abhorrent crime.

The Government is committed to progressing this Bill and Second Reading took take

place on 2 October. The Bill will be carried carried over into the next session of

Parliament.

Domestic Abuse: Discrimination


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to

ensure equal protection for all domestic abuse survivors by upholding the non-

discrimination principle in accordance with Article 4(3) of the Istanbul Convention.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.

Domestic Abuse: Older People


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help

people over the age of 60 experiencing domestic abuse.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.





Electronic Government: Data Protection


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the

Memorandum of Understanding sent by the Cabinet Office to his Department on the

sharing of GOV.UK user data with the Government Digital Service.

Victoria Atkins:

The Home Office does not currently routinely publish its memorandum of

understanding with other government departments and will therefore not be

publishing this agreement.

European Criminal Records Information System

Janet Daby: [291031]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she will take to

mitigate the effect of the loss of access to the European criminal databases in the event

of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Brandon Lewis:

My Department continues to work closely with operational partners and engage with

EU Member States to prepare for our departure from the EU in October.

If necessary, we will be ready to transition our cooperation with EU Member States to

alternative, non-EU arrangements where available.

Broadly speaking, this would mean making more use of Interpol, Council of Europe

instruments and other forms of co-operation with European partners, such as bilateral

channels.

Whilst these alternative arrangements are not like-for-like replacements, they are

largely tried and tested mechanisms that we already use for cooperating with many

non-EU countries.

The UK will continue to be one of the safest countries in the world in the event of no

deal.

European Institute of Human Sciences: Proscribed Organisations

Andrew Rosindell: [292860]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has

assessed potential links between the European Institute for Human Sciences and

proscribed organisations.

Brandon Lewis:

Whilst we keep the list of proscribed groups under review, we do not routinely

comment on whether an organisation is or is not being investigated for its potential

links with groups on this list.




Fire and Rescue Services: Training



taking to provide suppression and prevention training on wildfires for the Fire and Rescue

Service.

Kit Malthouse:

The National Fire Chiefs Council are responsible for driving work to further improve

the fire sector’s approach to wildfire preparedness. They are increasing the number

of specialist wildfire tactical advisors across the country and are developing a

wildfires asset register to more easily source specialist equipment when required.

In addition, the Home Office supports services by providing over £27m for specialist

capabilities, such as high-volume pumps, which are well used to combat major

wildfires. This funding covers the training required for the pumps, which is overseen

by the National Resilience Assurance Team in Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

Fire Prevention

Nic Dakin: [292217]


taking to increase wildfire resilience in the UK.

Kit Malthouse:

Fire and rescue authorities in England are required to produce an Integrated Risk

Management Plan that assesses all foreseeable fire and rescue related risks

(including wildfire) that could affect their area.

The National Fire Chiefs Council are increasing the number of specialist wildfire

tactical advisors across the country and are developing a wildfires asset register to

more easily source specialist equipment when required.

In addition, the Home Office supports services by providing over £27m for specialist

capabilities, such as high-volume pumps, which are well used to combat major

wildfires.

Fraud: Internet

Nigel Dodds: [291274]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to

tackle the threat of online personal scams to vulnerable people.

Brandon Lewis:


















Fraud: Older People


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to raise

awareness of telephone scams that target elderly people.

Brandon Lewis:

Since September 2016, the Government has been running the Take Five fraud

awareness campaign designed to urge the public and businesses to take time to

consider whether a situation they find themselves in is genuine. The campaign equips

the public to more confidently challenge fraudulent approaches – be they face-to-

face, on the telephone or online. Specific advice on phone scams and vishing can be

found at www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk.

The Take Five campaign has been jointly led by HMG and UK Finance and involved

influential public, private and third sector partners, including Age UK, National

Trading Standards (Friends Against Scams initiative), Neighbourhood Watch, banks

and law enforcement to deliver protective messages to people who are most

vulnerable to fraud, including the elderly. The campaign has been run nationally

across digital and social media, radio and video on demand platforms, and included

media partnerships with publications such as Women’s Weekly, Ideal Home and

Take a Break and presenter-led spots on radio stations like LBC and Heart, seeking

to embed behavioural change amongst the target audience.

In addition to this campaign activity, the Government continues to work on practical

solutions to address nuisance and scam calls. DCMS secured over £600k in the

Autumn Budget to provide vulnerable people with call blocking devices. This was in

addition to £500K secured for the same purpose in the previous spending review

period. This funding has helped to protect some of the most vulnerable in society

from nuisance calls and scams, including those originating from overseas. The

Government has also taken action to ban pensions cold calling, recognising that it is

the most common method used to initiate pension fraud, which can leave people

facing retirement with a greatly reduced income


Home Office: Energy Supply

Nic Dakin: [290337]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which provider supplies energy

to his Department; how much CO2 was emitted through his Department’s energy

consumption in the latest period for which figures are available; whether the criteria his

Department uses to selecting an energy supplier includes how environmentally friendly

the supplier is; and what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce CO2

emissions from its energy use.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.

Home Office: Ethnic Groups

Chris Stephens: [292941]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion

of staff who applied for promotion within her Department from 1 September 2018 to 1

September 2019 and who identified as (a) BAME and (b) White were successful by each

grade in her Department.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.

Human Trafficking: Immigration

Vernon Coaker: [R] [292096]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce a new

immigration status of survivor of modern slavery for people who have received a positive

conclusive grounds decision through the National Referral Mechanism.

Victoria Atkins:

If a confirmed victim of modern slavery does not qualify for asylum, humanitarian

protection or other forms of leave to remain under the Immigration Rules, then they

are considered for a grant of discretionary leave to remain on a case-by-case basis,

taking into account the particular circumstances of each case. There are no plans to

change this policy.

Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes

Vernon Coaker: [R] [292095]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to announce her

Department's policy on support for survivors of modern trafficking who have received a

positive conclusive grounds decision.





Victoria Atkins:

The Government is committed to ending modern slavery and providing victims with

the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Support and assistance for adult victims of modern slavery is provided via the

government-funded Victim Care Contract, in England and Wales. This support

enables victims leaving situations of exploitation to access specialist care, to begin to

rebuild their lives. This includes accommodation, financial support, access to mental

and physical health services, and signposting to legal sup-port. Confirmed victims

receive a minimum of 90 days Victim Care Contract support; however, many are

supported for longer than this.

Our new Recovery Needs Assessment process will improve support for confirmed

victims by ensuring their ongoing recovery needs, arising from their modern slavery

experiences, are identified and supported through the Victim Care Contract or other

services. The Recovery Needs Assessment will inform an individual move-on plan

with the aim of establishing longer-term stability by helping victims transition out of

Victim Care Contract support and into a community where they can start to rebuild

their lives. Where this is not yet possible, Victim Care Contract services will continue

to meet the confirmed victim’s recovery needs.

The Recovery Needs Assessment guidance was published on Friday 27 September

and assessments will start during the week commencing 30 September. We will keep

the Recovery Needs Assessment process and guidance under review throughout its

gradually phased implementation over the coming months.

Immigration Controls: EU Nationals

Patrick Grady: [290389]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, wnat documentation officials at

the border have been instructed to accept as proof of (a) settled status and (b) pre-settled

status for EU nationals arriving in the UK after 31 October 2019.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.

Immigration Controls: Sudan


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he has taken since

14 August 2019 to ensure that human rights violators from Sudan do not enter the UK.

Seema Kennedy:


Prorogation.



Immigration: EEA Nationals



taken for EEA nationals’ settlement status to be verified by border officials after the UK

exits the EU in the event that the secure online service is inaccessible due to (a)

temporary system failure, (b) planned system maintenance and (c) cyber-attack.

Brandon Lewis:

Immediately after exit, EU citizens can continue to cross the border using their

passport or national identity card. They will be able to use e-Gates if they are

travelling on a biometric passport.

EU citizens will not be routinely asked to prove that they have been granted status

under the EU Settlement Scheme after EU Exit in order to re-enter the UK but

systems will be in place to allow border officials to make such checks where

necessary. There are established contingency processes and procedures in the

event of any interruption to systems at the border which border officials are familiar

with.

Once the new points based immigration system is fully introduced, Border Force will

be able to identify those individuals granted status digitally without the need for the

individual to provide evidence.

Immigration: EU Nationals


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans

to apply restrictions on access to (a) social security and (b) health services to non-UK EU

citizens (i) without evidence of settled status and (ii) with other legal immigration status

after 31 October 2019.

Brandon Lewis:

Eligibility rules governing access to social security benefits and NHS services by EU

citizens living in the UK will not change on 31 October 2019. We have made clear

that all EU citizens will require status under UK immigration legislation to continue

living in the UK after the end of 2020, when the new points-based immigration system

is introduced. We will set out the rules for the new system and associated

entitlements in due course.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent

staff are employed to work on the EU Settled Status Scheme.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.




Immigration: Migrant Workers

James Frith: [291421]


taking to ensure that visa-free travel is maintained between the UK and the EU for short

visits to work in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a new immigration

system will be in place from 1 November 2019 for people working in the UK and not

under visiting or settled status.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there will be a transition

immigration system in place from 1 November 2019 for people working in the UK and not

under visiting or settled status.

Brandon Lewis:

Whether the UK leaves the EU on 31 October 2019 with or without a deal, the

Government has announced that EEA and Swiss citizens will be able to continue to

travel to the UK until the end of 2020 without needing a visa.

From January 2021 we will introduce a new points-based immigration system. This

will prioritise the skills and contributions people can make to the UK, rather than

where they come from.

In a no deal scenario, there will be a transitional period before the new immigration

system commences in 2021. The Government announced the details of these

temporary immigration arrangements on 4 September 2019 and they are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-deal-immigration-arrangements-for-

eu-citizens-moving-to-the-uk-after-brexit.

Law-abiding EEA and Swiss citizens moving to the UK after a no deal Brexit will still

be able to live and work in the UK for a temporary period, but we will make it harder

for serious criminals to enter the UK. Those new arrivals who wish to stay beyond the

end of 2020 will need to apply for a UK immigration status. The Home Office will open

a new immigration scheme – the European Temporary Leave to Remain Scheme – to

provide a route to apply for this status. The online application process will be simple

and free of charge. Subject to identity, security and criminality checks, successful

applicants will be granted 36 months’ leave to remain in the UK. This will provide

them with a bridge into the new immigration system.

EEA and Swiss citizens who are resident in the UK by exit on 31 October 2019 will

remain eligible to apply for UK immigration status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

They will have until at least 31 December 2020 to do so.




https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-deal-immigration-arrangements-for-eu-citizens-moving-to-the-uk-after-brexit



Jon Wedger

Melanie Onn: [292945]


taken to investigate allegations made by whistleblower Jon Wedger against the

Metropolitan Police.

Kit Malthouse:

The investigation of allegations made against police forces is a matter for the force

and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to consider as appropriate.

The decision-making processes of both organisations are independent of the

Government and the Home Office itself.

Knives: Crime



holds in relation to perpetrators of crimes using sharp objects and (a) time spent in Pupil

Referral Units, (b) housing status and (c) employment status.

Kit Malthouse:

As set out in the Government’s Serious Violence Strategy, there are a number of risk

and protective factors for involvement in serious violence, some of which relate to

background or personal circumstances. The Home Office does not, however,

routinely collect information about whether those who are charged with, or convicted

of, offences involving sharp objects have spent time in a Pupil Referral Unit or about

their housing and employment status.



of trends in the level of knife crime in (a) Slough constituency and (b) the UK.



taking to reduce incidences of knife crime in (a) Slough constituency and (b) the UK.

Kit Malthouse:

There were 1,514 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument recorded by Thames

Valley Police in 2018/19, a 13 per cent increase compared with the previous year,

and a 30 per cent increase since 2010/11. Across England and Wales, there has

been an 8 per cent increase in 2018/19, and a 42 per cent increase since 2010/11.

These increases are thought to be partly a genuine increase and partly due to

improvements in the police recording of these offences.

We are taking determined action to tackle knife crime and other serious violence.

This includes giving the police the resources and tools they need to keep families,

communities and our country safe. We have recently launched a national campaign





to begin to recruit 20,000 new police officers over the next three years, and we are

making it easier for the police to use stop and search powers.

Police funding is increasing by more than £1 billion this year, including council tax

and additional funding through the £100 million Serious Violence Fund. This Fund

includes £63.4 million for surge operational activity, £35 million to support Violence

Reduction Units, and £1.6 million to help improve the quality of data on serious

violence. Thames Valley Police are receiving £1.94 million from the Fund for surge

activity and a further £1.16 million for their Violence Reduction Unit.

In addition, through the Offensive Weapons Act 2019, we are providing the police

with more powers, and making it more difficult for young people to get hold of knives

in the first place. The Act includes Knife Crime Prevention Orders which will give the

police an important new tool to help them to work with people to steer them away

from serious violence and knife crime.

We continue to encourage all police forces to undertake a series of coordinated

national weeks of action to tackle knife crime under Operation Sceptre. The operation

includes targeted stop and searches, weapon sweeps, surrender of knives, including

through amnesty bins, test purchases of knives from retailers, and educational

events. The latest phase of the operation took place from 17 to 22 September.

We are also addressing the root causes of crime by investing over £220 million in

early intervention projects and in July this year, the Government announced a new

legal duty on public bodies to prevent and tackle serious violence. This will ensure

that all relevant services work together to share data and knowledge, and to allow

them to target their interventions to prevent violence altogether.

Law Enforcement Data Service


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Operation

Yellowhammer HMG Reasonable Worst Case Planning Assumptions paragraph 10, what

steps her Department is taking to mitigate the disruption of law enforcement data and

information sharing between the UK and the EU in the event that the UK leaves the EU

without no deal.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.

Leicestershire Police: Recruitment

Keith Vaz: [284695]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Prime

Minister's statement of 24 July 2019, if her Department will estimate the number of new

police officer posts that will be established by Leicestershire Police by 2022.



Kit Malthouse:

The Government has committed to increasing the number of police officers by 20,000

over the next three years. We are committed to giving police the resources, tools and

powers they need to tackle the scourge of crime.

The Home Office does not hold figures for the number of police officer vacancies

advertised prior to 23 July 2019.

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) had previously announced plans to recruit

3000 additional officers in 2019/20. The recruitment of 20,000 officers announced by

the Government is in addition to these numbers already announced by PCCs.

Metropolitan Police: Recruitment


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the additional

police officers will be recruited (a) to the Metropolitan Police and (b) to work in

Southwark.

Kit Malthouse:


Prorogation.

National Policing Board


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how times the National Policing

Board has met in the last year.

Kit Malthouse:


Prorogation.

North Yorkshire Police Authority: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department

allocated to North Yorkshire Police Authority in each financial year since 2010-11.

Kit Malthouse:

Police Grant allocations are published by the Home Office every year. Historical grant

allocation figures can be found on https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-

finance

Offences against Children

Sarah Champion: [284550]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has (a)

geographically mapped the prevalence of different methodologies for perpetrating child

sexual abuse in the UK as set out in the National Crime Agency’s National Strategic





Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime 2018 and (b) discrete plans for tackling

each such methodology of perpetration.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of money

allocated from the public purse for the prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation

was spent on disrupting perpetrators in the most recent period for which such information

is available.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will estimate the number of

people posing a sexual threat to children (a) online and (b) offline in the UK.

Victoria Atkins:

There are over 58,000 Registered Sex Offenders in the UK. A conservative estimate

of the National Crime Agency (NCA) is that around 80,000 people in the UK present

some kind of sexual threat to children online, while the Centre of Expertise on Child

Sexual Abuse estimates that 15% of girls and 5% of boys experience some form of

sexual abuse before the age of 16.

In February 2017, the Government published its Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation:

Progress Report and announced a £40m package of measures to protect children

and young people from sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking, and to crack down

on offenders. In September 2018, the Government announced an additional £21.5m

investment in law enforcement to reduce the volume of offending and pursue the

most hardened and dangerous abusers.

The Government has made significant progress in tackling child sexual exploitation.

We have prioritised child sexual abuse as a national threat to empower law

enforcement to tackle these crimes, developed world-leading technology such as the

child abuse image database (CAID) to tackle online child sexual abuse, and built the

capabilities of our law enforcement and intelligence partners to bring the highest-

harm offenders to justice.

The Government continue to engage closely with a range of partners including law

enforcement, charities and academics to build our understanding of the evolving

threat in order to do all we can to protect children and stop offenders.

In 2017 the government established the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse

with £7.5 million of funding. Headed by Barnardo’s, the centre works to improve our

understanding of the scale and nature of pathways into child sexual offending and

what works to prevent and tackle it, including developing a typology of child sexual

offending which will support a more targeted response by the police and other

agencies.

We will publish a national strategy setting out how we will galvanise local, national

and international efforts to prevent, tackle and respond to all forms of Child Sexual

Abuse, which will be supported by the announcement on 4 September 2019 of an

additional £30 million to safeguard children from child sexual exploitation and abuse.



Increasing funding for cutting-edge technology and the best intelligence and law

enforcement capabilities will enable police officers to continue to target the worst and

most sophisticated offenders.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish an

update to the Tackling child sexual exploitation: progress report published on 16 February

2017.

Victoria Atkins:


Prorogation.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will estimate the number of

people posing a sexual threat to children (a) online and (b) offline in the UK.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of money

allocated from the public purse for the prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation

was spent on disrupting perpetrators in the most recent period for which such information

is available.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has (a)

geographically mapped the prevalence of different methodologies for perpetrating child

sexual abuse in the UK as set out in the National Crime Agency’s National Strategic

Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime 2018 and (b) discrete plans for tackling

each such methodology of perpetration.

Victoria Atkins:

There are over 58,000 Registered Sex Offenders in the UK. A conservative estimate

of the National Crime Agency (NCA) is that around 80,000 people in the UK present

some kind of sexual threat to children online, while the Centre of Expertise on Child

Sexual Abuse estimates that 15% of girls and 5% of boys experience some form of

sexual abuse before the age of 16.

In February 2017, the Government published its Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation:

Progress Report and announced a £40m package of measures to protect children

and young people from sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking, and to crack down

on offenders. In September 2018, the Government announced an additional £21.5m

investment in law enforcement to reduce the volume of offending and pursue the

most hardened and dangerous abusers.

The Government has made significant progress in tackling child sexual exploitation.

We have prioritised child sexual abuse as a national threat to empower law

enforcement to tackle these crimes, developed world-leading technology such as the

child abuse image database (CAID) to tackle online child sexual abuse, and built the





capabilities of our law enforcement and intelligence partners to bring the highest-

harm offenders to justice.

The Government continue to engage closely with a range of partners including law

enforcement, charities and academics to build our understanding of the evolving

threat in order to do all we can to protect children and stop offenders.

In 2017 the government established the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse

with £7.5 million of funding. Headed by Barnardo’s, the centre works to improve our

understanding of the scale and nature of pathways into child sexual offending and

what works to prevent and tackle it, including developing a typology of child sexual

offending which will support a more targeted response by the police and other

agencies.

We will publish a national strategy setting out how we will galvanise local, national

and international efforts to prevent, tackle and respond to all forms of Child Sexual

Abuse, which will be supported by the announcement on 4 September 2019 of an

additional £30 million to safeguard children from child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Increasing funding for cutting-edge technology and the best intelligence and law

enforcement capabilities will enable police officers to continue to target the worst and

most sophisticated offenders.



taken to help further understand the specific characteristics and motivations of child

sexual abuse offenders whose methodology is defined as group-based grooming as set

out in the National Crime Agency’s National Strategic Assessment of Serious and

Organised Crime 2018.

Victoria Atkins:

The Government attaches the highest priority to tackling all forms of child sexual

abuse.

We have been pursuing work on several fronts to improve our understanding of

group-based child sexual exploitation (CSE), considering the broadest evidence base

and applying due scrutiny to quantitative and qualitative research and analysis. This

work includes efforts to improve data collection by law enforcement, qualitative

research into police operations and reviews of existing literature on group-based

offending.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse announced its investigation of child

sexual exploitation by organised networks and set out the scope of its investigation at

a preliminary hearing in May this year. While independent of Government, we

welcome the Inquiry’s work in this area and as always, the Government will

cooperate fully and we will give careful consideration to its findings in due course.

On 4 September the Government announced an additional £30 million to safeguard

children from child sexual exploitation and abuse. Increasing funding for cutting-edge


technology and the best intelligence and law enforcement capabilities will enable

police officers to continue to target the worst and most sophisticated offenders.

Offensive Weapons Act 2019

Preet Kaur Gill: [291085]


September 2019 to Question 285406 on Offensive Weapons Act 2019, what additional

resources he plans to provide to the police to ensure that they are able to enforce that

legislation.

Kit Malthouse:


Prorogation.

Orgreave


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to hold a

public inquiry into the police operation at Orgreave on 18 June 1984.

Kit Malthouse:

There are no plans to review the Government’s decision of 31 October 2016 not to

establish a public inquiry into the policing of the events at the Orgreave coking plant

on 18 June 1984.

Personation

Mr Clive Betts: [290288]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of

the number of reports of identity theft and fraud made to Action Fraud which were not

recorded as crimes in each year from 2015 to 2019.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reports of identity

theft and fraud made to Action Fraud were referred to trading standards departments for

investigation in each year from 2015 to 2019.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.

Police

Peter Kyle: [285386]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there

were in England and Wales in July (a) 2018 and (b) 2016.






Kit Malthouse:

The Home Office publishes information on the number of police officers in England

and Wales as at 31 March and 30 September each year, which are available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have

been put on standby for redeployment for mutual aid from (a) South Wales Police, (b)

Greater Manchester Police, (c) Thames Valley Police, (d) Northumbria Police, (e) West

Midlands Police and (f) British Transport Police for the period identified by Operation

Snow Bunting.

Kit Malthouse:


Prorogation.

Police Federation of England and Wales

Keith Vaz: [284730]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she next plans to meet

with the Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales.

Kit Malthouse:

The Home Secretary has regular meetings with the National Chair of the Police

Federation of England and Wales to discuss a range of issues of relevance to the

Federation and its members. The last such meeting took place in August 2019. In the

interests of Government transparency and accountability details of Ministerial

meetings are published on a quarterly basis on GOV.UK.

Police: Consultants

Keith Vaz: [284556]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many retired police officers

have been engaged by police services in a consulting role in each year since 2016.

Kit Malthouse:

The Home Office does not centrally hold the information requested

Decisions on the size and composition of the police workforce are operational matters

for Chief Officers working with their Police and Crime Commissioners and taking into

account local priorities.

Police: Human Rights

Nigel Dodds: [291276]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many human rights

advisors are employed by police forces in England and Wales.





Kit Malthouse:

The Home Office does not hold this information.

Police: Recruitment

Keith Vaz: [284698]


Minister's statement of 24 July 2019, how many of the vacancies for additional police

officers to be recruited by 2022 had been advertised before 23 July 2019.

Kit Malthouse:


over the next three years. We are committed to giving police the re-sources, tools

and powers they need to tackle the scourge of crime.




3000 additional officers in 2019/20. The recruitment of 20,000 offic-ers announced by



To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Government

plans to spend on the Be a Force for All campaign via (a) websites, (b) newspapers, (c)

television, (d) search engine optimisation, (e) social media by platform, (f) billboards (g)

and any other medium in (i) total and (ii) each month of the campaign.

Kit Malthouse:

The first phase of the police recruitment campaign is running from Thursday 5th

September to Friday 18th October 2019.

The department is currently expecting to spend approximately £1.4m on this phase of

campaign activity including website development and advertising.

The next phase of the campaign is due to run from January 2020. The department is

currently in planning for this campaign and is yet to finalise budgets across the

programme.

Government policies and programmes affect the lives of millions of people and in

order for them to work, they must be communicated effectively to engage the public

and bring about positive behaviour change. However, this has to be done with cost

efficiency in mind and there are strict rules to ensure value for money on Government

advertising.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which companies have been

awarded contracts to run the websites for the Be a Force for All police recruitment

campaign; how much was disbursed from the public purse to those companies under

those contracts; which advertising channels have been used by those companies for that




campaign; and how much each of those companies spent on each of those advertising

channels.

Kit Malthouse:

The Home Office is responsible for delivery of the national police recruitment

campaign.

No tender was sent out specifically for the police recruitment campaign website. The

national police recruitment campaign, including the campaign website, is delivered

through existing government contracts with government-procured agencies who work

across a number of Home Office priority issues. These contracts are awarded

through open competition and spend is capped to ensure value for money for the

taxpayer – contractual information is available to the public through Contracts Finder.

The Home Office has worked with its contracted digital agency , Story UK.

No advertising channels have been used by Story UK in relation to the website and

no money spent.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason the websites (a)

www.joiningthepolice.co.uk and (b) www.policenow.org.uk do not use gov.uk.

Kit Malthouse:

The Home Office is responsible for the www.joiningthepolice.co.uk website. The

Home Office applied for, and was granted, an exemption from gov.uk in line with

normal procedures on the basis that the gov.uk campaigns platform offers limited

functionality. Specifically, it would not have supported the required interactive map

providing live information on the forces currently recruiting in specific entry routes.

Police Now is an independent national charitable social enterprise. The Home Office

is not responsible for its website arrangements.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to

ensure that the Be a Force for All campaign complies with the General Data Protection

Regulation (GDPR); and whether a data protection impact assessment has been

produced in accordance with Article 35 and 36 of the GDPR.

Kit Malthouse:

We take the protection and privacy of personal data very seriously. The Government

Communication Service, as the professional body for communications in government,

upholds the highest professional standards in undertaking its duties and in particular,

complying with data protection legislation.

The campaign microsite, www.joiningthepolice.co.uk, directs potential applicants to

local police force websites, which are not managed by the Home Office, to begin their

application process. The microsite collects IP addresses and generates cookies to

inform improvement of the site and to make campaign marketing more engaging and



http://www.joiningthepolice.co.uk/

http://www.joiningthepolice.co.uk/

relevant. However, this information is not used to identify users personally and is

handled in accordance with the current data protection legislation.

For further information on the campaign microsite’s use of data and cookies please

visit:

https://www.joiningthepolice.co.uk/privacy.html

https://www.joiningthepolice.co.uk/cookies.html


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when forces will be told of the

allocation of funding in order to recruit 6,000 additional officers.

Kit Malthouse:

The Government has committed to increasing the number of police officers by an

additional 20,000 over the next three years.

Up to 6,000 additional officers will be recruited in the first wave by the end of 2020/21

and will be shared among the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales.

The allocation of officers across England and Wales is yet to be confirmed.

Police: Recuitment


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the

Government's plans to recruit 20,000 new police officers, how many new officers will be

will be deployed in (a) Surrey and (b) the South East.

Kit Malthouse:

The allocation of new officers between forces is yet to be confirmed.

The Government’s commitment to recruiting 20,000 additional officers over three

years will provide every force in England and Wales with an uplift in resource to

address the demand pressures they face.

The Chancellor has announced that the Home Office will receive £750 million for

investment in policing in 2020/21, this funding will support recruitment of the first

wave of up to 6,000 additional officers across the 43 territorial police forces in

England and Wales.

Police: Retirement



the number of police officers expected to retire in the next three years.

Kit Malthouse:


Prorogation.








Police: Road Traffic Control

Tom Brake: [292790]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what preparations her

Department for policing operations in relation to traffic management in the event that the

UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Kit Malthouse:

Ministers and officials have been working closely with the National Police Chiefs

Council (NPCC) and the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) alongside the

Department for Transport and Highways England to determine the role of the police

in supporting the delivery of traffic management plans in the event of a No Deal.

Highways England are responsible for the strategic road network.

Police: Scotland

John Lamont: [284352]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what effect funding 20,000

additional police officers will have on the Scottish Government's block grant.

Kit Malthouse:

Any increase in funding to the police forces of England and Wales would generate a

‘Barnett consequential’ uplift to the Block Grants to the Scottish Government. It would

be a matter for the Scottish Government to determine how the additional resources

would be allocated.

Police: Wales



the number of additional police officers required in (a) Newport West and (b) Wales to

reduce the level of crime and keep communities safe.

Kit Malthouse:

The Prime Minister and Home Secretary have announced the recruitment of 20,000

extra officers over the next three years. This demonstrates our commitment to

supporting the police and giving them extra resource to protect the public and keep

us all safe.

The allocation of officers across England and Wales is yet to be confirmed. We are

working closely with police leaders to put in place the plans and systems to deliver on

this commitment. Police budgets and force level funding will be set out in the usual

way at the provisional police settlement.

Proceeds of Crime


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what type of costs are incurred

by the public purse when dealing with assets seized by the NCA.






To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial controls are in

place to ensure the effective use of public funds when properties are seized by the

National Crime Agency.

Brandon Lewis:


Prorogation.

Retail Trade: Crimes of Violence


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps is he taking to

strengthen protections for shop workers that face (a) abusive, (b) threatening and (c)

violent behaviour.

Kit Malthouse:

The Government recognises the damaging impact that violence and abuse toward

shop staff can have.

That is why the National Retail Crime Steering Group brings together Government,

the police, retailers and others to help ensure the response to these crimes, and

wider related issues, is as robust as it can be. This includes guidance on reporting

incidents to the police and the use of Impact Statements for Business which provide

victims with a voice in the criminal justice process. The Home Office also provided

£60,000 for a targeted communications campaign led by the Association of

Convenience Stores to raise awareness.

In addition, we launched a call for evidence on violence and abuse toward shop staff

to help strengthen our understanding of the scale and extent of the issue. The call for

evidence has now closed and we are currently analysing responses. We intend to

publish the Government’s response in due course.

Schools: Fire Prevention


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to make the

Fire and Rescue Services and other approved fire inspectors aware of their duties to

ensure that school notice boards are fire compliant; and if she will make a statement.

Kit Malthouse:

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person

(usually the owner, employer or managing agent) is required to undertake and review

regularly a fire risk assessment of the premises and ensure adequate fire protection

measures are in place and maintained appropriately in order to mitigate the risk to life

from fire. To help responsible persons identify and mitigate fire risk and comply with

the provisions of the Order, Government has made available guidance, including a

specific guide for education premises, which is available here:




https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-educational-

premises

The Fire and Rescue National Framework for England requires fire and rescue

authorities to have a management strategy and risk-based inspection programme in

place to ensure compliance with the Fire Safety Order within their respective areas.

Fire and rescue authorities visit premises to audit compliance. They check the fire

risk assessment and that the fire precautions in place are adequate and effective in

keeping the risk to life as low as reasonably practicable. If the audit shows a

premises to be unsatisfactory, fire and rescue authorities can issue an informal notice

suggesting safety measures or, in more serious cases, a formal notice.

Social Media: Violence


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police staff and

officers are working on the Government funded social media hub to tackle violent content

online; and what the volume is of gang-related content that has been (a) disrupted and

(b) removed from social media platforms.

Kit Malthouse:


Prorogation.

South Wales Police: Recruitment



Minister's statement of 24 July 2019, how many of the 20,000 new police officers will be

recruited by South Wales Police.




recruited by North Wales Police.




recruited by Dyfed-Powys Police.




recruited by Gwent Police.






Kit Malthouse:



supporting the police and giving them extra resource to protect the public and keep

us all safe.


working closely with police leader to put in place the plans and systems to deliver on

this commitment. Police budgets and force level funding are set out in the usual way

at the provisional police settlement.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

House of Commons: Security


To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of

Commons Commission, whether a (a) temporary or (b) permanent House of Commons

security pass has ever been refused on the grounds that the applicant had been found to

be in contempt of Parliament.

Tom Brake:

In the past 10 years, there have been no cases where a temporary or permanent

House of Commons security pass has been refused on the grounds that the applicant

had been found to be in contempt of Parliament.

Parliament decides on matters of contempt, including sanctions, on a case-by-case

basis, on the advice of the Committee of Privileges.

Parliament: Sign Language


To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of

Commons Commission, whether the Commission plans to provide British Sign Language

interpreters for all Parliamentary debates.

Tom Brake:

British Sign Language (BSL) has been provided for a number of debates in

Westminster Hall over the past two years, with signing successfully integrated into

the video output on parliamentlive.tv. A studio area has now been established in 7

Millbank where filming of BSL interpreters can take place.

I am pleased to inform the hon. Member that funding has been approved for BSL

interpretation of Prime Minister’s Questions for the period November 2019 to March

2020 and funding for BSL interpretation beyond this period is being considered. This

service will be reviewed by February 2020 and further consideration given to wider

use of BSL for other Parliamentary proceedings.



A proposal for live subtitling of all proceedings in the House of Commons Chamber to

be shown on parliamentlive.tv is also currently being considered.

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing and Social Rented Housing: North West


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

plans his Department has to increase the provision of (a) affordable and (b) social

housing in (i) the North West, (ii) Merseyside and (iii) Wallasey.

Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 3 October 2019]: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon.

Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Affordable Housing: Finance


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

re-establish dedicated funding programmes for local authorities and housing providers to

create affordable housing from long-term empty homes throughout England.



undertake a review of how the legal powers available to local authorities to tackle empty

homes and poor standards of management in the private rented sector could be

improved.



provide support for empty home prevention schemes by offering financial support to

owners for sustainability measures and home improvements such as insulation measures

designed to increase the longevity and environmental efficiency of existing homes.



open funding programmes to tackle empty homes to community-led organisations who

are not registered providers; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey:

The Department has no current plans to establish funding programmes specifically

targeted at renovating or preventing empty homes, nor to carry out a formal review of

local authorities' powers in this respect. Local authorities are already equipped with a

range of powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes. Through the New

Homes Bonus, they earn the same financial reward for bringing an empty home back

into use as for building a new one. Since 1 April 2019, via the Rating (Property in






Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Act 2018, local authorities

have the discretion to increase the maximum level of premium charged on properties

that have been empty for more than two years from 50 per cent to 100 per cent extra

council tax. In certain circumstances, local authorities can apply for an Empty

Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) to temporarily take over the management of a

property that has been empty for more than two years and bring it back into use.

The number of long-term empty homes remains substantially lower than when

records began. In October 2010, 299,999 homes in England had been standing

empty for longer than 6 months; as of October 2018, there were 216,186 long-term

empty properties. We do not have plans to make a further statement to the House on

the issue at present.

Affordable Housing: South Gloucestershire

Jack Lopresti: [292887]


steps he is taking to ensure that the revised Joint Spatial Plan for South Gloucestershire

will not effect the building of affordable homes in the Filton and Bradley Stoke area.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.

Buildings: Fire Prevention


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his

Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a national

buildings register of all high-risk buildings over 11m in height in England to store

information such as construction materials used fire safety certification.

Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 3 October 2019]: The government published its Building a Safer

Future Consultation on proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system

on 6 June. The consultation included proposals on establishing a register for

buildings within scope of the new regime and proposals on construction products.

The consultation included an analytical overview of the proposals. The government is

considering the responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.

Buildings: Insulation


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

reference to the fires at Samuel Garside House in Barking Riverside, Beechmere

retirement complex in Crewe and Sherbrooke Way in Worcester Park, if his Department

will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning the use of timber cladding in

residential buildings.




Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 30 September 2019]: It has not proved possible to respond to the

hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


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

reason all leaseholders of buildings with Aluminium Composite Cladding must sign a

State Aid Declaration for the building to be eligible to apply to his Department's private

sector ACM cladding remediation fund.

Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 30 September 2019]: State Aid declarations are needed because

they assist the government in ensuring the fund complies with the requirements of EU

state aid rules; this is the basis on which government is able to provide funding to the

private sector. Fund applicants can begin the application process before all State Aid

declarations have been received, and are strongly encouraged to do so.


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

his Department plans to conduct further large-scale fire safety tests on High Pressure

Laminate Cladding.



his Department plans to commission a large scale fire safety test on systems

incorporating timber cladding.

Esther McVey:

Acting on advice from the Expert Panel, the government has commissioned research

from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to support further understanding of

the fire performance of Non-Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) external wall

systems. The Department has commissioned the BRE to undertake bespoke medium

scale tests on timber cladding panels as part of the ongoing Non-ACM research.

This programme began in April 2019 and the preliminary testing concluded in the

Summer. This is now in an analysis phase and the research findings will be published

in Autumn. Subject to the research findings, a decision will be made as to the testing

of further materials used on external wall systems, including timber cladding.

We currently have no plan to commission a large-scale fire safety test on system

incorporating timber cladding or further High Pressure Laminates tests



reference to his Department's data release entitled, Building Safety Programme: Monthly

Data Release for August 2019, published on 12 September 2019, how many of the 1,494

non-ACM cladding samples held at the Building Research Establishment contain

combustible materials.





Esther McVey:


Prorogation.




Data Release for August 2019, published on 12 September 2019, how many of the 1,494

non-ACM cladding samples held at the Building Research Establishment are timber

cladding.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.




Data Release for August 2019, published on 12 September 2019, if his Department will

publish a full analysis of the 1,494 non-ACM cladding samples held at the Building

Research Establishment.

Esther McVey:

The screening programme set up after the Grenfell fire tragedy was focused on

identifying the types of Aluminium Composite Materials (ACM) received. The samples

held by the Building Research Establishment were submitted as part of this ACM

screening program, to determine which category of ACM had been used in high-rise

buildings. A detailed explanation of the screening tests is set out in this note

published in June 2017: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/explanatory-

note-on-safety-checks-and-testing.

To build a more complete picture of high-rise residential buildings and the variety of

external wall systems in use, the Department started in July 2019 a data collection

exercise to gather information on the external wall systems of high-rise residential

buildings that are 18 metres or above.

Community Housing Fund



extend the Community Housing Fund to beyond March 2020; and if he will make a

statement.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.




Derelict Land



recent discussions he has had with developers to encourage them to build on brownfield

sites.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.

Empty Property: West Midlands

Emma Reynolds: [290795]


recent estimate he has made of the number of empty homes in (a) the West Midlands

region, (b) City of Wolverhampton local authority area and (c) Wolverhampton North East

constituency in each year since 2010; and what steps he is taking the reduce the number

of empty homes.

Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 30 September 2019]: The most recent estimate of the number of

long-term empty homes shows that at October 2018 there were 10,084 homes that

had been empty for more than six months in the West Midlands Metropolitan County,

and 1,401 that had been empty for more than six months in the City of

Wolverhampton. Statistics on vacant dwellings in England and in each local authority

district, from which regional totals may be calculated, are published in the

Department's live table 615 which is available at the link below. This table shows the

annual total numbers of empty homes, those vacant for longer than six months and

also vacant properties in the local authority, housing association and other public

sector tenures. Statistics on vacant dwellings at parliamentary constituency level are

not centrally collected

Local authorities are equipped with powers and have strong incentives to tackle

empty homes. Since 1 April 2019, via the Rating (Property in Common Occupation)

and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Act 2018, local authorities have the discretion to

increase the maximum level of premium charged on properties that have been empty

for more than two years from 50 per cent to 100 per cent extra council tax. Through

the New Homes Bonus, local authorities earn the same financial reward for bringing

an empty home back into use as building a new one. In certain circumstances, local

authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) to

temporarily take over the management of a property that has been empty for more

than two years in order to bring it back into use.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-

including-vacants



https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistical-data-sets%2Flive-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants&data=02%7C01%7CKatie.Beere%40communities.gov.uk%7C78e00a08285a4609aa7208d742a2fc00%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637051140084421320&sdata=ZBoptgeh8NUG6fhH4oq8l2K2vpB%2BMmvz6WCLLjeoX%2FQ%3D&reserved=0



Help to Buy Scheme: Costs



publish the (a) projected annual net costs of Help to Buy from its inception until 2021-22

as set out in the original business case, (b) actual annual net costs from inception until

2018-2019, and (c) current projected net costs until 2021-22.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.

Help to Buy Scheme: North West


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

many homes have been purchased through the Help to Buy scheme in (a) the North

West, (b) Merseyside and (c) Wallasey in each of the last six years.

Esther McVey:



High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention


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

to the of Answer 23 July 2019 to Question 279062 on Buildings: Insulation, whether any

burning had begun in large scale test in June 2019 that was aborted due to procedural

issues.

Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 30 September 2019]: Yes. The BS 8414 test involves a 9 metre

high demonstration wall with a complete cladding system – including panels and

insulation – fixed to it, being subjected to a fire that replicates a severe fire in a flat

breaking out of a window. The tests look at whether the system resists fire spread up

the wall. The test is started when a large wood crib is ignited, burns and flames affect

the wall build up directly above. The large scale test in June 2019 was started before

being aborted due to procedural issues.

The general behaviour of observed before the procedural issue was similar to that

observed and recorded during the test carried out in July 2019 the report of this test

is available at the following :

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-test-report-mhclg-bs-8414-hpl







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

should bear the cost of remedial fire safety work such as fireproofing in a block of flats

owned by a Housing Association with half social tenants and half leasehold tenants.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.

High Rise Flats: Insulation



reasons his Department has not issued a call for samples of building materials used in (a)

external wall materials and (b) insulation of high rise buildings as part of the recent data

collection exercise on external wall systems in high-rise residential buildings.

Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 30 September 2019]: The Department’s data collection exercise is

aimed at enabling the government to build a picture of external wall systems in use

on high rise residential buildings. This exercise will collect data on residential

buildings 18 metres and over covering private and social buildings, student

accommodation and hotels. There are currently no plans to call for samples of

building material or insulation as part of the data gathering exercise.

However, as part of the Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) screening program

funded by the government, the Building Research Establishment has been requested

to catalogue samples which are identified as non-ACM materials as detailed in the

response to Question UIN 234718 on 27 March 2019.

Households: Rents

Hugh Gaffney: [291399]


recent assessment his Department has made of rent levels on household income.

Esther McVey:

The English Housing Survey provides data on the proportion of income that is spent

on rent in both the Private Rented Sector and the Social Rented Sector. This

information is available online:


ent_data/file/817630/EHS_2017-18_PRS_Report.pdf and


ent_data/file/829741/EHS_SRS_report_revised_Sept_19.pdf'.




Housing Associations



assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing councils with the power to

manage properties currently owned by housing associations.

Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 2 October 2019]: No such assessment has been made. The

government believes that both local authorities and housing associations have an

important role to play in building and managing the affordable homes this country

needs. Making housing associations subject to local authority control would result in

them being reclassified to the public sector, thereby adding their debt (currently £77

billion) to the Public Sector Net Debt.

Housing Ombudsman Service: Complaints


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

average length of time was for the Housing Ombudsman Service to determine case

complaints in the first three months of 2019-20; and how many complaints were dealt with

within the six month target during that period.

Esther McVey:

In order to ensure that residents receive a fair and impartial service, the Housing

Ombudsman carefully reviews all available evidence when investigating and

determining cases within their formal remit.

Between April and June 2019-20, the Housing Ombudsman Service determined 502

cases with an average determination time of 6.8 months. The Housing Ombudsman

Service does not have a specific target for the proportion of cases determined within

six months. The target is an average to be achieved across the financial year

reflecting that the Housing Ombudsman Service is a demand-led and the average

case time will vary each month depending on the number of cases received, and the

complexity of the peculiar case.

Housing: Access



(a) implement the recommendation of housing association Habinteg and make accessible

and adaptable (M4(2) Category 2) the mandatory baseline for all new housing and (b)

issue detailed guidance to local planning authorities on how they should reflect the

housing needs of older and disabled people in their plans as required by the

Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017.




Esther McVey:


Prorogation.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Gillian Keegan: [291109]


steps the Department is taking to promote the building of (a) passive houses and (b) eco-

homes.

Esther McVey:

The Department is committed to increasing the energy efficiency of new homes.

The main way the Department seeks to do this is through Building Regulations.

These set minimum requirements for the energy efficiency of new buildings and for

work on existing buildings.

In the government’s Clean Growth Strategy we committed to reviewing these

standards, including consulting on improving energy efficiency requirements in new

and existing homes where the evidence suggests it is cost effective, affordable,

practical and safe to do so.

To that end, the government has announced that this consultation is now open. This

includes the proposed introduction of a Future Homes Standard by 2025 for new

build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world-leading levels of

energy efficiency. We propose that new homes built to this standard should have 75-

80 per cent fewer CO2 emissions than ones built to current building regulations

standards.

The National Planning Policy Framework also expects local planning authorities to

take account of how new development will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,

such as through its location, orientation and design. Planning practice guidance

provides advice for local authorities and applicants on implementing these policies.

The Department does recognise and support innovation and excellence in design.

For example, the Minister of State for Housing recently visited the Goldsmith Street

development in Norwich, which is built to the PassivHaus standard. At the Housing

Design Awards, Goldsmith Street was the chosen Supreme Winner and winner of the

Good Neighbour Award, a new category sponsored by MHCLG and agreed by the

previous Housing Minister

The government also launched a consultation on stronger building regulations that

will pave the way for the Future Homes Standard. These 2020 changes aim to

improve the environment by cutting carbon emissions in new homes by almost a

third, while keeping household bills low. The Future Homes Standard consultation

can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-homes-

standard-changes-to-part-l-and-part-f-of-the-building-regulations-for-new-dwellings.


https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fconsultations%2Fthe-future-homes-standard-changes-to-part-l-and-part-f-of-the-building-regulations-for-new-dwellings&data=02%7C01%7CParliamentary%40communities.gov.uk%7C32cdb0d71a284c50141808d748c87365%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637057898068453715&sdata=rJIxLrWENjIdP7iJxp%2FPVmBrtZzpsHgQxuyfpcK%2BAa0%3D&reserved=0



Mr Mark Prisk: [292133]


steps the Government has taken to reduce carbon emissions in the housing sector.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.

Mr Mark Prisk: [292134]


plans the Government has to reduce carbon emissions in the housing sector.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.

Housing: Construction



steps the Government is taking to increase the rate of housebuilding.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.

Housing: Domestic Abuse



reference to his Department's consultation on Domestic abuse services: future delivery of

support to victims and their children in accommodation-based domestic abuse services,

which closed on 2 August 2019, when the response to that consultation will be published.

Luke Hall:

My Department will be publishing the government response to the consultation

‘Future delivery of support to victims and their children in accommodation-based

domestic abuse services’ shortly.

Housing: Empty Property


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

Department identifies long-term empty homes; and how many long-term empty homes

there were in England in each of the last three years.

Esther McVey:


Prorogation.






Housing: Insulation



estimate he has made of the number of homes in England that have been valued at £0

because surveyors could not be sure that the cladding and insulation on the buildings

were not flammable.

Esther McVey:



Housing: Ombudsman Service


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

the new homes ombudsman will be appointed.

Esther McVey:

The government’s intention is to introduce legislation to ensure developers of new

build homes belong to a New Homes Ombudsman. We have recently consulted on

the design and delivery of a New Homes Ombudsman. The consultation closed in

August and we are analysing the responses and will respond in due course. We will

continue to work with industry and consumer groups to strengthen consumer

protection for new build homeowners before legislation is put in place.

Leasehold



plans he has to provide assistance to leaseholders who were misled on property

purchases.

Esther McVey:

The previous Secretary of State wrote to the Competitions and Markets Authority

(CMA) on 26 November 2018 and 1 April 2019 to encourage them to undertake work

into mis-selling in the leasehold housing market.

The government welcomed the CMA announcement on 11 June to open an

investigation in this area. The CMA is concerned about potential leasehold mis-

selling, and whether leasehold contract terms are onerous and unfair in relation to

ground rent, permission and other charges. If the CMA thinks that a company’s

practices are misleading – or that its contracts contain unfair clauses – it could take

enforcement action to require the company to change how they operate. We look

forward to hearing progress on the CMA’s work later this year.

The government has also worked with National Trading Standards who have

published guidance to help clarify the rights and responsibilities around owning a




leasehold property, and practical steps for individuals to take in the event things go

wrong.

Mass Media: Muslims



reference to the Integrated Communities Action Plan published in February 2019,

whether his Department has facilitated meetings between the Anti-Muslim Hatred

Working Group and Independent Press Standards Organisation to help them to develop

guidance for editors and journalists to tackle unnecessary negative portrayals of Muslims

in the media.

Luke Hall:






reason Ministers of his Department are unable to comment on specific buildings with

cladding issues raised in correspondence dated 25 September 2019 with the hon.

Member for Croydon North.

Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 3 October 2019]: The Department provides general advice on

building safety but does not offer advice on the safety of individual buildings. It is for

building owners to ensure that their buildings are safe – and to seek appropriate

professional advice as required. Advice Note 14 helps building owners take the most

appropriate course of action should there be any concerns about their building’s

external wall system. Local authorities and Fire and Rescue Services may take action

on individual buildings where safety issues have been identified.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Chief Scientific Advisers



many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31

August 2019.

Jake Berry:

Following a recent recruitment exercise, Professor Alan Penn took up post as the

Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser on 5 September 2019. The Secretary of State

will meet him shortly.




Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Crispin Odey



publish (a) the outcome of all meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of his

Department and Mr Crispin Odey.

Jake Berry:

Details of Ministers’ meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Jainism



invite representatives of the Jain community to national events organised by his

Department; and if he will make a statement.

Luke Hall:


government values its contribution immensely.

The government is always keen to work with the Jain community on matters that are


Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Consultation


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

his Department's consultations have not been (a) completed and (b) analysed and

responded to; and on what date those consultations (a) commenced, (b) closed and (c)

are expected to report.

Jake Berry:

As set out on Gov.uk, MHCLG currently has 33 live consultations. Of these, 25

consultations have closed and the Department intends to respond in due course. 8

consultations are open. They are:

Homelessness Reduction Act 2017: call for evidence

A new deal for renting: resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between

landlords and tenants

The Future Homes Standard: Changes to Part L and Part F of the Buildings

Regulations for new dwellings

Review of local authority financial reporting and external audit: call for views

Local Government Finance Settlement 2020 to 2021: technical consultation

Rogue landlord database reform

Sprinklers and other fire safety measures in new high-rise blocks of flats




Proposed reforms to permitted development rights to support the deployment of 5G

and extend mobile coverage

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Travel



much his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) first class, (b) second class and (c)

in total in 2017.

Jake Berry:


Prorogation.



much his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) first class, (b) second class and (c)

in total in 2018.

Jake Berry:


Prorogation.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

Sir Edward Leigh: [293452]


to the Answer of 9 September to Question 286103 on Holocaust Memorial and Learning

Centre, if he will name the organisations outside Government providing (a) public

relations or engagement, (b) public affairs and (c) planning services in respect of the

proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre; and how much is being paid from the

public purse to each organisation.

Jake Berry:

The organisations and amounts paid are set out below:

ORGANISATION SERVICE

SPEND TO DATE FROM PUBLIC

PURSE INCLUDING VAT

Big Ideas Community Interest

Company

Community engagement £69,296

Dp9 Planning services £0

Four Communications Communications £70,748

Newgate Communications Communications £0






to the Answer of 31 July to Question 280921 on National Holocaust Memorial Centre and

Learning Service, which individuals were members of the property sub-committee of the

UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation from November 2015 to January 2016.

Jake Berry:

UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation members Mr Peter Freeman and Mr Gerald

Ronson CBE were members of the property sub-committee.




Learning Service, for what reason sites identified by means other than the CBRE were

not brought to the CBRE’s attention to enable it to compare all potential sites.

Jake Berry:

I refer my Rt Hon Friend to the answer to Question UIN 270267 of 27 June 2019, and

remind the Rt Hon Gentleman that CBRE was only one element in the search for

potential sites.



terms of reference were for the CBRE’s search for potential sites for the Holocaust

Memorial and Learning Centre.

Jake Berry:

To carry out an extensive search for potential sites for the Holocaust Memorial and

Learning Centre in line with the criteria set by the UK Holocaust Memorial

Foundation.




Learning Service, how many potential sites not among sites identified by the CBRE were

identified by (a) Royal Parks, (b) Holocaust commemorative and educational

organisations, (c) property owners and developers, (e) property agents, (f) London

Borough authorities, (g) universities (h) museums and (i) cultural centres; and on what

dates those potential sites were reported to the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

Jake Berry:

As set out in the answer to Question UIN 229625 on 14 March 2019, almost 50 sites

were identified by a wide range stakeholders and considered by the UK Holocaust

Memorial Foundation during the latter part of 2015.









Learning Service, for what reason paragraphs 4.20 to 4.23 of the Planning Statement

submitted by his Department to Westminster Council do not refer to the elements in the

property search other than that by the CBRE.

Jake Berry:

The approach prior to appointment of CBRE is described in paragraphs 4.1.1-4.1.4 of

the environmental statement.




Learning Service, how many sites in addition to the 24 identified by the CBRE were

considered by the board of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation for the first time on 13

January 2016.

Jake Berry:

At its meeting on 13 January 2016 the Foundation reviewed the progress of the site

search and concluded that there could be no better site than Victoria Tower Gardens

to place the Holocaust Memorial.



to the Answer of 31 July 2019 to Question 280920 on National Holocaust Memorial

Centre and Learning Service, for what reason that Answer did not provide the information

requested on communications with Royal Parks.

Jake Berry:

Question UIN 280920 tabled by the Rt Hon Member for Gainsborough on 23 July

2019 was capable of inadvertently misrepresenting the government’s January 2016

statement. The answer sought to remove any ambiguity.




Learning Service, if he will publish the operating models the United Kingdom Holocaust

Memorial Foundation is considering to cover the running costs of the Holocaust Memorial

and Learning Centre.

Jake Berry:

The Foundation has yet to complete its consideration of options.



to the Answers of 15 and 31 July 2019 to Questions 274442 and 280922 on National

Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service, on what date in November 2015 the

property sub-committee of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation was asked to

undertake a search of Government sites.





Jake Berry:

The search for possible sites began in July 2015.



make an estimate of the proportion of lawn area in Victoria Tower Gardens which will be

taken for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

Jake Berry:

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt hon. Member in the time available

before Prorogation.



make it his policy not to introduce security checks for visitors to Victoria Tower Gardens

other than people visiting the Memorial and Learning Centre after that centre has opened.

Jake Berry:

In common with other public places in Westminster there will be no security checks

for visitors to Victoria Tower Gardens.



publish the criteria used by his Department to determine that up to 75.5 per cent of the

cost of construction of the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre should be funded

directly by the Government.

Jake Berry:

It has not proved possible to respond to the rt hon. Member in the time available

before Prorogation.

Owner Occupation



proportion of home ownership was in (a) England, (b) Surrey and (c) Woking constituency

in each of the last three years.

Esther McVey:

The English Housing Survey collects data on home ownership in England, broken

down by region. This information is detailed in Annex Table 1.2 of the most recent

headline report. Figures for the whole of England are detailed in Annex Table 1.1.

You can access both tables using this link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2017-to-2018-

headline-report

In summary, for the most recent three years of data, the proportion of households in

England that were home owners was between 63-64 per cent. The proportion of

home owners in the South East for the same period was 68 per cent





We do not hold data on home ownership rates by constituency.

Parking: Codes of Practice


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

plans to publish the new Code of Practice for parking in England, Wales, and Scotland.

Luke Hall:

The government is committed to developing and implementing the Code of Practice

as soon as possible. We are currently considering the options for the delivery of the

Code and the design of the levy on industry, as well as the format for stakeholder

engagement. We will make an announcement in due course. We are also committed

to carrying out a public consultation on the draft Code of Practice, allowing all

interested parties to directly respond to the proposals.

Planning Permission: Fees and Charges

John Healey: [294678]


assessment he has made of the effect of TerraQuest Ltd's partnership with his

Department to run the planning portal on fees charged on that portal.

Esther McVey:

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt Hon Member in the time available

before Prorogation.

Private Rented Housing: Electrical Safety


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

plans to bring forward secondary legislation to implement mandatory electrical safety

checks for the private rented sector.

Esther McVey:

In July 2018, government committed to introducing mandatory five-yearly electrical

safety inspections for electrical installations in privately rented properties. This will be

achieved through secondary legislation, subject to parliamentary time. In the

meantime, it remains best practice for landlords to ensure that the electrics in their

properties are safe.

Private Rented Housing: Pensioners



estimate he has made of the number of pensioners who rented a home from a private

landlord in each year since 2010; and how many and what proportion of pensioners

renting from private landlords were in rent arrears in that time period.





Esther McVey:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: The English Housing Survey (EHS) collects and

publishes data on the economic status of household reference person by tenure in

Live Table FA1301. You can access this table from this page:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/tenure-trends-and-cross-tenure-

analysis . This table shows the proportion of retirees in the private rented sector was

between 7 per cent and 9 per cent throughout 2008-18. The EHS does not publish

data on the proportion of retirees in arrears.

Regulator of Social Housing



to the Answer of 9 May 2019 to Question 249189 on Regulator of Social Housing, how

many respondents to the consultation on the Social Housing Green Paper in 2018 (a)

supported and (b) rejected the proposal to consider removing the serious detriment test

used to determine compliance with the Home Standard if it is a bar to a more proactive

approach by the Regulator of Social Housing.

Esther McVey:

We met over 500 residents and received over 1,000 responses to the Social Housing

Green Paper consultation. We are currently considering the responses to the

consultation and will publish the government's response in due course.

Religious Hatred: Islam



steps the Government is taking to tackle Islamophobia.

Luke Hall:

The government does not tolerate hatred of any kind and is taking a number of steps

to tackle Islamophobia. We have some of the strongest legislation in the world to

tackle hate crime and where groups incite racial hatred or are engaged in racially or

religiously motivated criminal activity, we would expect them to be prosecuted.

To support security training for places of worship, we have committed £1.6 million

through the places of worship security grant this year. and a further £5 million over

three years. We have also supported Tell MAMA with over £2.5 million between 2016

and 2020 to monitor and combat anti-Muslim hatred, and committed £1.5 million in

new funding for hate crime projects including those tackling anti-Muslim hatred and

racism in schools.

The government will also be appointing independent advisers to provide expert

advice to government on a definition of Islamophobia. The first of these advisers,

Imam Qari Asim MBE, was appointed on the 23 July 2019. Their work will draw on a

wide range of opinions and they will work in close collaboration with the cross-

government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group.



Social Rented Housing



he plans to set a delivery target and an investment plan to support that target for social

rent homes.

Esther McVey:

The government is committed to increasing the supply of social housing and has

made £9 billion available through the Affordable Homes Programme to March 2022 to

deliver approximately 250,000 new affordable homes for a wide range of tenures.

This includes at least 12,500 homes for social rent to meet the needs of struggling

families and those most at risk of homelessness in areas of the country where

affordability is most pressured. This is the minimum number of social rent homes we

expect to be delivered – the programme is flexible and the precise number will

depend on the bids that are received for the funding.

We previously announced an additional £2 billion of long-term funding certainty for

housing associations. This extra funding will deliver more affordable homes and

stimulate the sector’s wider building ambitions, through strategic partnerships. On 27

June 2019, bidding was opened on £1 billion of this funding through Homes England.

We are working closely with the Greater London Authority to open bidding on £1

billion for London as soon as possible. Our ten-year funding commitment through

strategic partnerships marks the first time any government has invested such long-

term funding in new homes through housing associations.

We have also removed the Housing Revenue Account borrowing caps for local

authorities and have set out a long-term rent deal for councils and housing

associations in England from 2020. Housing associations and local authorities now

need to accelerate delivery and build more affordable homes.

Since 2010 there has been an increase in the number of homes for social rent by

79,000, in contrast to the decline between 1997 and 2010, whilst the Right to Buy for

council tenants has been preserved.

Investment in social rent homes beyond the current programme will be decided as

part of the forthcoming spending review.

Social Rented Housing: Electrical Safety



assessment he has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals

to introduce mandatory electrical safety checks in the social rented sector in England.

Esther McVey:

Government is committed to ensuring that everyone is safe, and feels safe, in their

home.



We published our Green Paper, "A new deal for social housing", in August last year.

It asked whether new safety measures in the private rented sector should apply to

social housing, including the proposed mandatory requirement on private landlords to

ensure electrical installations in their property are inspected every five years. We are

currently considering the responses to the consultation and will publish our action

plan for implementing social housing reform in due course.

Social Services: Finance



reference to paragraph 2.11 of Spending Round 2019, how the £1 billion in funding for

social care will be distributed between (a) adult and (b) children's social care.



reference to paragraph 2.11 of Spending Round 2019, how much additional funding will

be allocated to each local authority in England for children's social care.

Luke Hall:

Proposals for distribution of the Social Care Grant in 2020-21 have now been put to

the sector in a technical consultation, published on 3 October

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-finance-settlement-

2020-to-2021-technical-consultation.

Welfare Assistance Schemes



his Department is responsible for allocating funding for local welfare assistance schemes.

Luke Hall:

[Holding answer 7 October 2019]: Responsibility for funding for local welfare

provision was passed over from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to the

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) from April 2013.

The MHCLG would lead on any changes in allocation with input from the DWP.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Human Trafficking


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government

is taking to support victims of human trafficking in Africa.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

DFID supports victims of human trafficking in Africa through several programmes, as

part of the UK Government’s commitment to realising Sustainable Development Goal





8.7, the eradication of all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human

trafficking by 2030. Current support totals over £30 million.

In Nigeria, for example, we are providing rehabilitation and reintegration support to

almost 1,000 victims of human trafficking and vulnerable migrants returned from

Libya.

In Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia we are providing protection and rehabilitation

services to more than 200,000 vulnerable children on the move, reducing their risk of

exposure to trafficking.

And we are working to end the worst forms of child labour in Central African Republic,

Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia. This includes children forcibly recruited

during armed conflicts, sexually abused, or exploited through other forms of forced

labour or hazardous work. Over 24,000 of the most vulnerable children will benefit

directly and over 400,000 people are expected to benefit indirectly through increased

awareness and improvements in legal systems.

Armed Conflict: Children


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department

is taking to support children in conflict zones throughout the world.

Dr Andrew Murrison:


Prorogation.

Bahamas: Hurricanes and Tornadoes



is taking to support humanitarian relief efforts in the Bahamas responding to the effects of

Hurricane Dorian.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

DFID responded immediately to help those affected by hurricane Dorian through the

deployment of a team of humanitarian experts to The Bahamas. Working alongside

the Bahamas Government’s National Emergency Management Association, the

Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and international partners, they

helped assess the scale of needs, coordinate the emergency response and ensure

aid quickly reached those affected.

Through the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Mounts Bay the UK were able to rapidly

distribute emergency supplies, assist communities who were cut off, and clear debris

to enable additional support to arrive. Mounts Bay has been in the Caribbean, loaded

with relief supplies, since June to prepare for and provide life-saving emergency

assistance in emergencies like Dorian.



The UK committed up to £1.5 million towards the immediate humanitarian response.

Working closely with the Bahamian Government, this funding has enabled the

delivery of critical aid supplies and helped coordinate the international response.

Burma: Overseas Aid

Lyn Brown: [294694]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will include conditions

in UK aid grants and loans to ensure that recipients do not use the grants to purchase

goods and services from companies linked to the military of Myanmar.

Zac Goldsmith:

In order to prevent DFID Myanmar funds going to military owned companies we

already have enhanced private sector due diligence in place. We are constantly

working to strengthen this process. DFID Myanmar has recently written to its partners

asking them to review their supply chains to check UK money is not being used to

purchase goods and services from companies identified as military owned by the

recent UN Fact Finding Mission report on Myanmar.

Department for International Development: Brexit


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 5

September 2019 to Question 285408 on Department for International Development:

Brexit, how many staff from her Department have been placed in each Government

Department to work on preparations for the UK leaving the EU.

Andrew Stephenson:

As at 1st October, the Department for International Development has deployed 114

employees on short term loan to other government departments to support projects

related to the UK leaving the EU. DFID employees have been deployed to the

following departments:

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT NUMBER OF DFID STAFF DEPLOYED

Department for Exiting the European Union 56

Department for International Trade 25

Cabinet Office Fewer than 5

Department for Health and Social Care Fewer than 5

Borders Delivery Group (HMRC) 16

Border’s Supply Chain Impact Group (HMRC) 9




To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made

of the cost to the public purse of his Department's preparations for the UK leaving the EU

(a) with and (b) without a deal.

Andrew Stephenson:

The majority of Brexit planning has been managed through existing resource within

DFID.

No additional costs have been accrued in preparing for a deal. In preparing for no

deal, the Government has committed to ensuring UK organisations are able to

continue delivering vital programmes should the EU cut funding.

DFID has allocated £416,345 to a fund manager to prepare and deliver the financial

assurance to be provided to UK organisations should their EU funding be cut, and for

research into the impact of Brexit on the Civil Society sector.

In addition, up to £150,000 has been allocated to DFID’s Get Ready communications

campaign by the Cabinet Office.

Department for International Development: Chief Scientific Advisers


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many meetings he had


Andrew Stephenson:

The DFID Chief Scientific Adviser met with the current and previous Secretary of

State once each during this period.

The Chief Scientific Adviser continues to provide all Ministers with regular written

submissions and briefings on DFID science and research activities.

Department for International Development: Jainism


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will invite

representatives of the Jain community to national events organised by his Department;


Zac Goldsmith:








Developing Countries: Agriculture



is taking to support developing countries to make their agricultural practices more

environmentally friendly.

Zac Goldsmith:

At the UN Climate Action Summit, the UK announced support to the ‘Just Rural

Transition’ initiative under which governments, businesses and civic organisations

are uniting to drive a shift to sustainable land-use. This initiative includes a policy

coalition that will help developing countries put policies in place for more

environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture, and an investment partnership to

leverage private sector investment for sustainable land use and improved livelihoods

for poor farmers.

DFID is supporting smallholder farmers in nearly 50 countries to improve sustainable

agriculture. At the Summit, we announced an additional £61 million for climate

adapted agriculture and innovation to help small-scale farmers increase productivity

without degrading the environment.

DFID support to tackle deforestation in developing countries has brought 2.6 million

hectares of land under sustainable management and mobilised £260 million of private

investment in sustainable production of commodities like palm oil, cocoa and soya.

Developing Countries: Climate Change


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much and what

proportion of the UK’s international climate finance is paid through the (a) European

Commission budget and (b) European Development Fund.

Zac Goldsmith:

None of the UK’s £5.8 billion international climate finance is provided through the

European Commission budget or European Development Fund.

Developing Countries: Forests



is taking to support countries around the world to tackle deforestation and illegal logging.

Zac Goldsmith:

DFID leads work internationally and across Government to drive efforts to tackle

deforestation and combat illegal logging. It does so directly through bilateral

programmes aimed at supporting countries and businesses to lock out illegal

activities, promote sector reforms, and foster public-private partnerships which

catalyse investment into sustainable land use, including environmental and forest

protection. DFID also works through multilateral instruments that have broader




geographic coverage, particularly through the World Bank’s Forest Investment

Programme and the Global Environment Fund.

DFID, together with the international teams in BEIS and Defra, are actively engaged

in international policy processes to galvanise the action of other governments and

business to stop illegal logging, deforestation and promote sustainable land use.

Most recently, the UK led efforts at the UN Climate Action Summit, to agree actions

to build natural resilience to climate change.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Bambos Charalambous: [292312]


will take to ensure the implementation of the political declaration of the UN High-Level

Meeting on Universal Health Coverage across its investments in health and human

development.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

Strengthening health systems to deliver Universal Health Coverage is a priority for

the UK. Our support for implementation of the political declaration includes funding to

the World Health Organisation to assist countries to develop Universal Health

Coverage country plans and the health financing strategies needed to meet the

commitment to increase public spending on health, with an emphasis on primary

health care. Our announcement at the UN General Assembly of £600m to buy family

planning supplies will provide access to family planning for 20 million women and

girls each year up to 2025. This programme will support countries to meet the

commitment to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Developing Countries: Poverty


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress his

Department has made on meeting the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 10 on

reducing inequality.

Zac Goldsmith:

The Government is firmly committed to delivering the Sustainable Development

Goals, including Goal 10, reducing Global Inequalities. This commitment is at the

heart of DFID’s approach to tackling extreme poverty. DFID works to reduce

inequality globally by ensuring that people have access to opportunities and services,

prioritising the most vulnerable, those caught in crises, and those most at risk of

violence and discrimination. Over 50% of UK aid goes to the most fragile and conflict-

affected states.

DFID is tackling inequality across the board through our policy and programming. For

example, DFID’s work on decent jobs focuses on working in some of the most

challenging environments to help the poorest and most marginalised to gain jobs,

increase their incomes and work their way out of poverty. Between 2015/16 and



2018/19, the UK enabled 3.9 million people to raise their incomes or maintain/gain a

better job or livelihood. For example, the PrOpCom Mai-Karfi programme has helped

over 850,000 beneficiaries increase their income by a total of over £48 million in

some of the poorest parts of northern Nigeria.

DFID is a global leader on Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion and published

ambitious new strategies on both last year with far reaching commitments. The UK

also hosted the Global Summit on Disability Inclusion last year, galvanising global

momentum on this neglected area.

Developing Countries: Taxation



is taking to help strengthen the tax systems of developing countries in order to increase

funding for services to support the poorest people.

Andrew Stephenson:

The UK is committed to supporting countries to achieve the Global Goals, including

working actively with countries to help raise and manage public revenues, and

thereby to invest in their public services and infrastructure.

In February 2019 we announced a new £47 million package of support to assist

developing countries in strengthening their tax systems. This package will provide

technical assistance and capacity building support through a number of partners. It

will also help contribute to economic growth by helping to tackle tax avoidance and

evasion, and by creating a more level playing field for businesses. In addition to this

new package of support, the UK has a number of other initiatives underway to help

strengthen tax systems; in August 2018 DFID Ethiopia launched a £35 million

programme to support the Ethiopian government in transforming the country’s tax

system, and HMRC’s Capacity Building Unit provides peer-to-peer expertise to raise

the standards of tax systems of developing countries.

Developing Countries: Women's Rights



is taking to increase women’s rights in developing countries.

Zac Goldsmith:


Prorogation.

Kenya: Parasitic Diseases

Dan Carden: [294235]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support his

Department is providing to people affected by the jigger flea, tunga penetrans, in Kenya.




Andrew Stephenson:

DFID is not providing any direct funding to help people affected by the jigger flea in

Kenya. However, DFID provides central core funding to the World Health

Organisation, who help tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases globally.

Development of Kenya’s health sector is a priority for DFID. We are working closely

with the Kenyan Ministry of Health to support their plans on Universal Health

Coverage.

Poliomyelitis: Vaccination



is taking to work alongside the One Last Push campaign to ensure that (a) funding and

(b) other support is available for polio vaccination programmes in countries at risk from

that disease.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

The UK is a leading supporter of efforts to eradicate polio, having invested £1.3 billion

since 1995. We work closely with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative through

engagement at regular governance meetings as well as working with a wide range of

other stakeholders including in encouraging others to provide financial support.

We engage closely with parliamentarians through the International Development

Committee and All-Party Parliamentary Group on Immunisations to raise awareness

and support for continued financing and support to countries at high risk of polio

outbreaks. Parliamentarians have an important role to play in advocating for

international financial support.

Syria: Overseas Aid


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government

has to increase humanitarian aid to Idlib, Syria.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

The humanitarian situation in Idlib is extremely serious. DFID continues to closely

monitor the situation in Northwest Syria, and we are concerned about the impact of

recent escalations of violence on civilians. So far this financial year we have allocated

£40 million in support for the region, and are keeping this under active review as the

situation on the ground develops.

Our support in this region continues to provide Syrians with shelter, clean water and

sanitation, mental health services, as well as aiding health workers and facilities that

have been affected by escalating violence. DFID partners are working tirelessly to

meet the growing needs among displaced people.



In 2018 alone, DFID support in Idlib provided approximately 836,000 people with

access to clean drinking water, 873,000 medical consultations, 69,000 food rations

and access to formal education for 110,000 children.

West Africa: Fisheries


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support his

Department is giving to West African countries that are victims of illegal fishing.

Andrew Stephenson:

DFID works closely with partner Governments to promote sustainable fishing

practices, helping to reduce the impacts of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

in West Africa and across the world.

As part of our commitment to protecting the global environment, the Government has

provided £250 million in funding to the Global Environment Facility’s 7 th

replenishment (2018-2022), which helps strengthen the management of fisheries and

marine-protected areas.

DFID provides a core contribution to the United Nations Food and Agriculture

Organisation, which supports countries in sustainable fisheries management.

Progress is set out in their flagship report ‘State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture’.

DFID is also supporting sustainable small-scale aquaculture through the Consultative

Group for International Agricultural Research, and our support has contributed to

improving the fish-based livelihoods of 51,235 households and 72,264 people.

Yemen: Overseas Aid


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 5

September 2019 to Question 282383 on Yemen: Overseas Aid, which UK funded assets

were damaged and which parties were identified as responsible for that damage; and

how much UK Aid funding has been spent on those facilities.

Dr Andrew Murrison:

Since the Yemen conflict started in 2015, our partners have reported two UK funded

assets have been damaged by alleged airstrikes. These are a Norwegian Refugee

Council warehouse in the Harradh area of Hajjah governorate on 21 June 2015 and a

UNICEF water and sanitary health facility in Sahar district on 22 July 2018.

We closely monitor such incidents, but we are not able to conduct investigations

which would allow us to conclude which parties were responsible.

Losses to DFID following the Norwegian Refugee Council warehouse incident were

£3,127, while DFID suffered no direct losses as a result of damages to the UNICEF

facility.



INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

Catherine McKinnell: [290760]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to her letter dated 16

September 2019 to the Chair of the Committees on Arms Export Controls, how the

breaches of the undertaking given to the Court by the Secretary of State in the Order of

the Court dated 20 June 2019 took place; and what steps she is taking to ensure no

further breaches take place.

Graham Stuart:

As my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade said in her

statement to Parliament on 26th September, as soon as the issue was brought to her

attention on the 12th September, she took immediate action:

• Taking immediate steps to inform the Court and Parliament;

• Putting in place immediate, interim procedures to make sure the error could not

happen again;

• Instigating a complete and full internal review of all licences granted for Saudi

Arabia and its Coalition partners since 20 June;

• The Permanent Secretary commissioned, on her behalf, a full independent

investigation.

This investigation will: (i) establish the precise circumstances in which these licences

were granted; (ii) establish whether any other licences have been granted in breach

of the Undertaking to the Court or the commitment to Parliament; and (iii) confirm that

procedures are in place to ensure that no further such breaches can occur. The

Director General Policy Group at the Department for Work and Pensions has been

appointed to lead this investigation.

During the course of this investigation, licence applications for Saudi Arabia and its

Coalition partners will be referred to a new weekly meeting of senior officials from the

Department for International Trade, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry

of Defence. (Some will have been refused by this point, for example where they fail to

meet one or more of the Consolidated Criteria.) This meeting will reach a

recommendation for Ministers as to whether applications are within the scope of the

Undertaking and the Parliamentary Statement, applying a further checklist of

questions which are designed to ensure that: (i) current and full information is

available to enable an assessment of whether the items in question are for possible

use in the conflict in Yemen; and (ii) if there has been any change in circumstances in

the conflict in Yemen, this is properly included in the assessment. All

recommendations to grant licences for the export of items to Saudi Arabia and its

Coalition partners will now be referred to Ministers for decision.


Department for International Trade: Chief Scientific Advisers


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many meetings she had with

her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

Conor Burns:

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade did not meet the

Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 June and 31 August 2019.

However, the Chief Scientific Adviser is closely involved in policy development and

meets regularly with the Permanent Secretary, members of the Department for

International Trade’s (DIT) Executive Committee and many other senior officials more

broadly both within DIT and across Government.

Department for International Trade: Jainism


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will invite representatives of

the Jain community to national events organised by her Department; and if she will make

a statement.

Conor Burns:

The Department for International Trade hosts a number of national events throughout

the year in order to support business to grow internationally, ensure the UK remains

the leading destination for international investment, and to promote open markets and

a free and fair trade policy. The Department invites attendees on the basis of their

relevance to these objectives, and focuses primarily on business, diplomatic, and

policy representatives as well as organisations that represent civil society, particularly

those that reflect interests across consumer, trade union, academia, regional and

devolved areas.

European Free Trade Association: Trade Agreements

Tom Brake: [294671]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to issue

guidance to businesses on the extent of the continuity of EU Free Trade Agreements with

EFTA countries after the UK leaves the EU.

Conor Burns:

The Government is committed to ensuring that businesses are prepared for the UK to

leave the EU on 31 October. This includes accurate, up-to-date information on how

the trading environment will change and guidance on actions they need to take.

Guidance for business on the trade continuity agreements signed with EFTA states is

available on GOV.UK. This includes the text of the agreement, a summary document

and a Parliamentary Reports, which explains any significant changes from existing

terms.




https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-trade-agreements-with-non-eu-countries-in-a-no-

deal-brexit#trade-agreements-that-have-been-signed

Furthermore, No Deal export guides in a No Deal scenario are also available for

Switzerland, Norway and Iceland:

• Exporting to Switzerland: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exporting-to-switzerland-

after-eu-exit

• Exporting to Norway: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exporting-to-norway-after-eu-

exit

• Exporting to Iceland: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exporting-to-iceland-after-eu-

exit

A summary of the UK-Switzerland-Liechtenstein Trade Agreement can be found

here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/summary-of-the-uk-switzerland-liechtenstein-

trade-agreement

This guidance is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is up-to-date and provides

businesses with relevant advice.

Export Guarantees Advisory Council


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many meetings the Export

Guarantees Advisory Council has had since December 2017; and when she plans to

publish the minutes of those meetings.

Conor Burns:

The Export Guarantees Advisory Council has formally met 6 times since December

2017. Minutes of the meetings held in 2018 have been published on its website

(https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/export-guarantees-advisory-

council/about/our-governance#minutes). Minutes of meetings held in 2019 will be

published in the next calendar year.

UK Export Finance’s (UKEF) Annual Report and Accounts includes a report from the

Council which lists the number of meetings it has held and a summary of the issues

that the Council considered. These Annual Report and Accounts are presented to

Parliament and published on UKEF’s website (

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-export-finance-annual-reports-and-

accounts ).

Foreign Investment in UK


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what guidance his Department

issues to foreign companies planning to invest in the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-trade-agreements-with-non-eu-countries-in-a-no-deal-brexit#trade-agreements-that-have-been-signed



https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fexporting-to-switzerland-after-eu-exit&data=02%7C01%7CHashim.Khalid%40trade.gov.uk%7Cc508f5c873cd4d29846208d74b1ffc46%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C637060473057890577&sdata=r9wJaZXTgBgDwI7b5ONrpA19MTHbGS9ZbUkqk20QiCQ%3D&reserved=0



https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fexporting-to-norway-after-eu-exit&data=02%7C01%7CHashim.Khalid%40trade.gov.uk%7Cc508f5c873cd4d29846208d74b1ffc46%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C637060473057900584&sdata=no3WhMEKNz2jjY4uf6IU1am4bKK%2BjYY9VKU5tIKfLKE%3D&reserved=0



https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fexporting-to-iceland-after-eu-exit&data=02%7C01%7CHashim.Khalid%40trade.gov.uk%7Cc508f5c873cd4d29846208d74b1ffc46%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C637060473057900584&sdata=k20W3q%2Fe2PQK536pm3bkFTVzjvwIEtLfoZsJ6LFPbC4%3D&reserved=0



https://www.gov.uk/guidance/summary-of-the-uk-switzerland-liechtenstein-trade-agreement




https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-export-finance-annual-reports-and-accounts




Graham Stuart:

The Department for International Trade (DIT) plays a critical role in promoting the UK

as the natural choice for overseas investment. The Department provides support to

inward investors who wish to set up in the UK.

These services range from providing information, guidance and support on the UK

business environment, to access to finance, talent and skills, visas and migration,

research and innovation, and sector experts.

DIT also provides an end-to-end service for investors, through initiatives such as the

Strategic Relationship Management Programme, both in the UK and overseas,

working with colleagues across government, in London, UK regions and Devolved

Administrations. This suite of services helps investors prosper and succeed, which in

turn leads them to reinvest further in the UK. The UK has the highest stock of FDI of

any nation in Europe.

Overseas Investment: Brazil


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she plans to bring forward

legislative proposals to ensure that UK companies investing in Brazil do not contribute to

deforestation in the Amazon.

Conor Burns:

As we prepare for our independent trade policy, the UK Government is committed to

upholding the UK’s high environmental standards. The Government is exploring all

options in the design of future trade and investment agreements, including possible

environment provisions.

The UK remains committed to protecting the world’s rainforests and will continue to

do so in Brazil through International Climate Finance programmes. We believe the

key to reducing deforestation is to work in partnership with Brazil and through HMG

programmes the UK Government has committed £131 million to support REDD Early

Movers, Rural Sustentavel and Partnerships for Forests. The UK government

recently committed a further £10 million in support.

Overseas Trade: India


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to increase

trade with the Indian state of Gujarat; and if she will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to increase

trade with India; and if she will she make a statement.

Conor Burns:

The UK enjoys a strong trade relationship with India. Total trade in goods and

services between the UK and India reached over £20bn in the period July 2018 to




March 2019. The Department for International Trade promotes UK trade interests

through our overseas network. This includes Gujarat State where we have a team

based at the Deputy High Commission in Ahmedabad. My Rt Hon. Friend the

Secretary of State for International Trade also leads a Joint Economic & Trade

Committee in which ministers discuss the removal of market access barriers and

means to increasing bilateral trade.

Overseas Trade: Israel


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent assessment has she

made of the level of potential opportunities for (a) export and (b) trade with Israel.

Graham Stuart:

Israel remains a strategic priority for UK trade with total trade in goods and services

between the UK and Israel totalling £4.2bn in 2019.

Total UK exports to Israel amounted to £2.4bn in 2019 and our Embassy team in Tel

Aviv, supported by the Department for International Trade (DIT) team in London and

across the UK, continues to support and engage with business on a daily basis both

to assess and realise potential opportunities for UK business in line with the Export

Strategy, the government’s plan to increase UK total exports as a proportion of GDP

to 35% and make Britain a 21st century exporting superpower. The strategy, which

focuses on all global markets, including Israel, will encourage and inspire more

businesses to export; inform businesses by providing practical assistance on

exporting; connect UK businesses to overseas buyers and opportunities; and help

provide finance through UK Export Finance to enhance the HMG offer to UK

exporters. Through this strategy we will also continue to promote the UK as a bilateral

trading partner, reassuring Israeli businesses that the UK remains open for business

and remains an advocate for free trade and open markets.

On trade more broadly, the Trade Continuity Agreement signed between the UK and

Israel last February reflects the importance both countries attribute to the respective

trading relationship and the potential opportunities that exist. I am delighted that the

Hon. Member will be supporting the important and exciting work that builds on the

agreement as our recently appointed Trade Envoy for Israel.

JUSTICE

[Subject Heading to be Assigned]

Stephen McPartland: [912609]

What plans he has to help reduce reoffending.

Lucy Frazer:

This Government is committed to reducing reoffending by ensuring that all offenders

have the tools they need to turn their backs on crime.



That is why we are focusing our efforts on supporting offenders to address any health

and wellbeing issues; raise their levels of educations attainment and skills; get a job;

and rebuild or reinforce their relationships.

We also know that a concerted cross-government effort is required to address

reoffending. For example we recently entered into a National Partnership Agreement

with the Department for Work and Pensions, to set out how departments will work

together to improve offenders’ chances of securing work and integrate into the

community on release from prison.

We know that in 39% of violent incidents victims believed alcohol was a factor. We

are introducing an Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring Requirement, giving courts the

power to impose a ban on drinking alcohol as part of a community order where

alcohol was a factor in the offending.


What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of sentences of less

than six months in reducing reoffending.

Chris Philp:

Sentencing must match the severity of the crime. Whilst there is evidence that short

sentences do not help some offenders turn their backs on crime, protecting the public

will always be our priority.

As part of our recent review, we have considered changes to sentencing for prolific

offenders which could help break the cycle of reoffending.

We know that these offenders generally have multiple and complex needs which are

linked to their offending behaviour, in particular drugs, alcohol and mental health

needs. Solutions will often lie in effective community sentences.

We intend to bring forward a comprehensive package of reforms, including to

community penalties to ensure they both punish and tackle the underlying drivers of

offending.

Mr Gavin Shuker: [912613]

What recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the rule of law.

Chris Philp:

The Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor meet regularly and discuss a range of

matters. The Lord Chancellor has sworn an oath to respect the rule of law and to

defend the judiciary. It is an oath he takes very seriously. The government will always

abide by the law.

Paula Sherriff: [912614]

What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of drugs being smuggled into

prisons.




Lucy Frazer:

One of the first things the Lord Chancellor did was to visit HMP Leeds with the Prime

Minister where they set out our focus on tackling crime, investing up to £2.5 billion

transforming the prison estate and providing 10,000 additional prison places.

At HMP Leeds there is an X-ray body scanner installed there to identify items

internally concealed on prisoners. HMP Wakefield also has an X-ray body scanner.

At HMP New Hall in our women’s estate, the drug threat is different and staff there

have worked hard to respond to the inspection report published in April. They have

put in place an updated local drug strategy, do more suspicion-led drug testing and

store medications in line with clinical guidelines.

We have previously invested £70 million to improve safety, security and decency in

prisons. We use body, property, cell and area searches across the estate, aided by

dedicated search teams and drug detection dogs.

As announced in August, we will be spending a further £100 million on prison

security. Airport-style security, including X-ray scanners, will be put into prisons

across the estate to help stop contraband such as drugs from getting in.

John Lamont: [912615]

What steps his Department is taking to increase prison capacity.

Lucy Frazer:

The Prime Minister has made clear his focus on tackling crime and announced in

August an investment of up to £2.5 billion to transform the prison estate and provide

10,000 additional prison places.

Our recent Spending Round settlement provides the funding for MoJ to begin

delivering this commitment and outline planning permission has been approved for a

new prison at Full Sutton.

The 10,000 places are additional to the 3,500 places, which we have begun at

Wellingborough; that we will start building at Glen Parva next year, and; that we have

already built at HMP Stocken.

Bill Wiggin: [912617]

What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that hon. Members are

not prevented from participating in business in the House due to jury service

responsibilities.

Chris Philp:

Trial by jury is fundamental to our world leading justice system and serving as a juror

is one of the most important civic duties that anyone can be asked to perform.

The Jury Manual identifies that MPs who seek excusal on the grounds of

parliamentary duties should be deferred in the first instance. This allows them to

identify a more convenient time and strikes a sensible balance, ensuring that MPs are

able to carry out their crucial role in this place.



If an MP feels that it is inappropriate to serve in his own constituency, he or she

should be allowed to serve elsewhere.

Any individual requests for jury service to be deferred would be a matter for our

independent judiciary

Hare Coursing: Prosecutions


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many successful prosecutions there have

been for hare coursing in each of the last 10 years.

Chris Philp:

The Ministry of Justice has published data on the number of prosecutions and

convictions for hare coursing offences in England and Wales for the years 2013 to

2018. This data is available in the Principal offence proceedings and outcomes by

Home Office offence code data tool available here:


ent_data/file/804510/HO-code-tool-principal-offence-2018.xlsx

Related offences include:

• Participating in a hare coursing event

• Attending a hare coursing event

• Knowingly facilitating a hare coursing event

• Permitting land to be used for the purpose of a hare coursing event

• Permitting etc a dog to participate in a hare coursing event

Search for ‘hare coursing’ in the Detailed offence filter and select the offences of

interest.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service: Modernisation


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to modernise the courts

and tribunal system.

Chris Philp:

Our £1bn modernisation programme has already started improving the experience of

those who use and need our courts and tribunals.

More than 150,000 people used our new online justice services in 2018, taking the

total number to just under 300,000 in the past four years.

The public can now apply for uncontested divorce online, apply for probate online,

make pleas online for low-level offences (such as traffic offences or evading bus

fare), respond to jury summonses, track social security appeals online, and issue and

respond to civil money claims. Feedback from those who use our new services has

been extremely positive.



Knives: Prosecutions


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking with the Attorney

General to ensure that people who carry knives are prosecuted.

Chris Philp:

We work closely with the Attorney General and Home Office Ministers to ensure the

Criminal Justice System commands public confidence and tackles crime effectively.

To address this and other serious crimes we’re recruiting 20,000 new police officers,

investing £85 million in the CPS and building 10,000 additional prison places,

together with the work of PCCs setting up Violence Reduction Units.

Ministry of Justice: Data Protection


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the Memorandum of

Understanding sent by the Cabinet Office to his Department on the sharing of GOV.UK

user data with the Government Digital Service.

Chris Philp:

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is implementing end-to-end performance

monitoring so that GOV.UK can be designed to ensure that people can access the

information and services they need as easily as possible. Departments are enabling

GDS to centrally collect data on site usage across the GOV.UK estate, to provide an

end to end, anonymised view of how people interact with government online. In

developing this project, both GDS and departments have taken into account both the

data protection regime and other guidance like the Government’s Data Ethics

Framework.

Clear and robust Memorandums of Understanding set out the terms of the project.

The MOUs outline the responsibilities of both the GDS and departments in a number

of areas, including handling the relevant data to ensure there is no unauthorised

access, loss, misuse, modification or disclosure.

The MoUs will be regularly updated in line with the government’s commitment to

continuous improvement in digital services and best practice in data and privacy

standards. It is a long standing government policy to operate in the spirit of full

transparency, and GDS plan to publish the document in due course.

Offenders: Employment


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government is taking to ensure

that offenders find employment on release.




Lucy Frazer:

Since we launched our Education and Employment Strategy in May 2018, we have

overhauled the prison education system, allowing governors to commission skills-

based training and education that meets the needs of the local labour market.

We have also introduced the New Futures Network, a specialist part of the Prison

Service which brokers partnerships between prisons and employers in England and

Wales. New Futures Network is now operating in 14 out of 15 geographical prison

group areas and more than 360 businesses have registered an interest in working

with prisons to provide work and training opportunities.

Additionally, we established new rules to allow governors to get offenders our to work

earlier on temporary licence. This will increase the opportunities available for

prisoners to secure jobs on release and reduce their chances of reoffending.

Prison Accommodation


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

prison capacity.

Lucy Frazer:

The Prime Minister has made clear his focus on tackling crime and recently

announced an investment of up to £2.5 billion to transform the prison estate and

provide 10,000 additional prison places.

The 10,000 places are additional to the 3,500 places already announced, with

construction already underway at Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, a new

houseblock at HMP Stocken in Rutland, which was opened in June, and works at

Glen Parva in Leicestershire, due to commence next year.

Our recent Spending Review settlement provides the funding for the Ministry of

Justice to begin delivering the 10,000 additional places, with outline planning

permission approved in September for a new prison at Full Sutton in East Riding of

Yorkshire.

Prison Sentences


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

merits of phasing out six month custodial sentences in England and Wales.

Chris Philp:

Protecting the public will always be our priority. One of the first acts by this Prime

Minister was to order an urgent review of sentencing. The focus of the review has

been on the sentencing for the most serious violent and sexual offenders and the

rules governing when and how those offenders are released. The review has also

looked at changes to sentencing for the most prolific offenders which could help

break the cycle of reoffending.



Based on the findings of the review, we will be bringing forward proposals shortly for

a comprehensive package of legislative reform. This will include amending the

automatic release point for the most serious sexual and violent offenders (where the

offence carries a maximum life sentence) from the half-way point to two thirds of the

sentence.

As part of this package of reform, we also plan to bring forward proposals for

community penalties that offer an appropriate level of punishment, while tackling the

underlying drivers of offending. We know that prolific offenders generally have

multiple and complex needs which are linked to their offending behaviour, in

particular drugs, alcohol and mental health needs. If we are to break the cycle of

reoffending, solutions will often lie in community sentences, including those which

address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse

needs, or provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.

Prisoners: Childbirth


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many children were born in prisons in the

last year.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support his Department provides to

pregnant female prisoners.

Lucy Frazer:

Information relating to births and pregnancy is recorded locally, and is not collected

centrally. Work is currently underway to look at what information related to pregnancy

and birth can be collected centrally.

Births in prison are extremely rare. Every effort is made to ensure women are in the

appropriate hospital setting in order to give birth, however this is not always possible

due to the unpredictability of labour.

All pregnant women in custody have an individual care and management plan that is

communicated to all staff and all pregnant women are seen by a mid-wife at least

fortnightly or as required. Women can expect to have access to the same range of

services as they would in the community. Healthcare in prisons is provided by trained

medics and nurses, but we have also made training on dealing with pregnant women

available to all prison officers.

A Prison Service Instruction sets out the current policy on Mother and Baby Units

(MBUs), and the Policy Guidance adjoining the Women’s Policy Framework 2018

contains comprehensive operational guidance on perinatal support to women in

custody. A review of the MBU policy is currently underway.



Prisoners: Self-harm


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the statistics collected by his

Department from across the prison estate can be broken down into (a) individual

episodes of self-harm and (b) episodes of self-harm by an individual in (i) HMP Parc and

(ii) HMP Cardiff prisons; and if he will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer:


Prorogation.

Prisons


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce costs across

the prison estate.

Lucy Frazer:


Prorogation.

Prisons: Crime


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

levels of crime in prisons.

Lucy Frazer:

We are taking decisive action to reduce the level of crime in prisons which has a

devastating impact on prison safety and undermines our ability to protect the public

and rehabilitate offenders.

We are investing £100 million in prison security as part of a crackdown on crime

behind bars. We are targeting those who bring contraband, such as drugs and mobile

phones, into prisons through enhanced gate security for staff and visitors and x-ray

body scanners for prisoners. We are also stepping up our counter corruption

capability and strengthening (in scale and reach) intelligence-led operations and

investigations with law enforcement partners against those that present the greatest

threat of harm to prison security and the community.

In May, we published the new Crime in Prison Referral Agreement between Her

Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the police and the Crown Prosecution

Service. This sets out how crimes committed within prison, such as serious assaults,

will be referred to law enforcement, investigated and prosecuted. It provides a more

consistent approach to dealing with these matters.




Prisons: Discipline


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will detail the definitions of (a) concerted

indiscipline and (b) violent incident required to be used at (i) HMP Parc and (ii) HMP

Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer:

The definitions of concerted indiscipline and assaults are:

Concerted indiscipline: the number of incidents in which two or more prisoners act

together in defiance of a lawful instruction or against the requirements of the regime

of the establishment. The act of indiscipline can be active or passive (i.e. involving

aggression and violence or not) and the protagonists do not necessarily need to be

acting in a common cause.

Assaults: refer to unwanted physical contact between two or more individuals,

excluding lawful use of force by staff (but including where staff are assaulted during

use of force) or anything of a purely verbal or threatening nature.

Assaults in prison custody cover a wide range of violent incidents including fights

between prisoners.

Serious assaults are those which involve one or more of the following: a sexual

assault, results in detention in outside hospital as an in-patient, requires medical

treatment for concussion or internal injuries. It also includes incurring any of the

following injuries: a fracture, scald or burn, stabbing, crushing, extensive or multiple

bruising, black eye, broken nose, lost or broken tooth, cuts requiring suturing, bites,

temporary or permanent blindness.

We do not tolerate violence or disruptive behaviour in our prisons. We’ve recruited

4,366 additional officers and are spending an extra £100m, introducing tough airport-

style security, x-ray scanners and phone-blocking technology. We are also committed

to ensuring our prison officers have the tools they need to do the job safely with body

worn cameras, ‘police-style’ handcuffs and restraints, and PAVA incapacitant spray.

Prisons: Ethnic Groups


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many BAME prisoners were held at (a)

HMP Parc and (b) HMP Cardiff prison under (i) remand and (ii) sentence following

decisions by courts outside of Wales in each year since 2015; and if he will make a

statement.

Lucy Frazer:

The below table indicates non white (includes prisoners with ‘not stated’ and ‘not

recorded’ ethnicities) prisoners in HMPs Cardiff and Parc with an associated court

outside of Wales (includes prisoners with ‘Court not recorded’).



30/06/2015 30/06/2016 30/06/2017 30/06/2018 30/06/2019

Total 75 60 105 71 87

Of which:

Remand 11 7 15 5 7

Sentenced 62 46 85 60 74

Non-Criminal 2 7 5 6 6

Prisons: Fires


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost to the

public purse of fire events in prisons in each of the last five years.

Lucy Frazer:

The cost of fires in public sector prisons from 2016 - 2019 is shown below.

Information for previous years is unavailable due to a change in reporting system.

YEAR COST

2016 £89,853

2017 £593,646

2018 £450,936

2019 £489,639

These figures comprise the total cost of Respiratory Protective Equipment used in

such scenarios, refurbishments, as well as any other miscellaneous costs relating to

fire fines.

The costs have been collated from the central HM Prison and Probation Service

(HMPPS) fire and investigation reporting tool and are only available for the public

sector prison estate. Costings for privately managed prison (PMP) are not collected

by HMPPS..

We will never compromise on the safety of those in our care, and staff are trained to

respond to emergency situations in a timely, appropriate manner. This Government is

taking unprecedented action to improve safety in custody. This includes recruiting an

additional 4,366 (full time equivalent) prison officers between October 2016 and June

2019, surpassing our original target of 2,500. We are also investing an extra £70

million to improve safety, security and decency.



To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) staff and (b) prisoner (i) injuries,

(ii) hospitalisations and (iii) fatalities involved fire events in prisons in each of the last five

years; and if he will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer:

The information requested is shown in the table below. Information for 2015 is not

available due to system changes and identifying criteria.

PRISONER

INJURIES

PRISONER

FATALITIES

PRISONER

HOSPITALISATION

STAFF

INJURIES

STAFF

FATALITIES

STAFF

HOSPITALISATION

2016 22 0 5 21 0 4

2017 64 0 30 52 0 33

2018 51 2 27 24 0 3

2019 29 1 27 18 0 3

We will never compromise on the safety of those in our care, and staff are trained to

respond to emergency situations in a timely and appropriate manner. The

Government is taking unprecedented action to improve safety in custody. This

includes recruiting an additional 4,366 prison officers between October 2016 and

June 2019 and we are investing £100 million, on top of the £70 million we have

already invested, to make our prisons safer.

Independent investigations of fatalities are undertaken by the Prison and Probation

Ombudsman. HM Prison and Probation Service is absolutely committed to controlling

any form of ignition sources and combustible materials in prisons.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of CPS referrals

for prosecution involved fire events in prisons in each of the last five years.

Lucy Frazer:

We do not hold the number of prisoners charged and prosecuted for arson centrally

and this information could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Probation


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve probation

services.

Lucy Frazer:

In May, we announced plans to strengthen probation by ending Community

Rehabilitation Company contracts early and streamlining responsibilities for public,

private and voluntary sector partners.




This means the National Probation Service taking on supervision of all offenders, the

private sector continuing to drive innovation in interventions, and greater voluntary

sector involvement in rehabilitation.

In July we published a Draft Operating Blueprint setting out further detail on our

plans. We are continuing to test and refine the design for the future model with

partners and stakeholders as plans for the transition take shape. In Wales we are

proceeding with plans to move the responsibility for supervision of all offenders into

the NPS by the end of 2019. Our experience there will help inform the approach to

transition in England.

We continue to drive improvements in service delivery under existing arrangements,

including investing £22m per year to support an additional 500 CRC staff in prisons

delivering sustained support for offenders to find accommodation and employment on

release.

Probation: Reform


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent progress he has made on plans for

probation reform.

Lucy Frazer:

In May, we announced plans to strengthen probation by ending Community

Rehabilitation Company contracts early and streamlining responsibilities for public,

private and voluntary sector partners.

This means the National Probation Service taking on supervision of all offenders, the

private sector continuing to drive innovation in interventions, and greater voluntary

sector involvement in rehabilitation.

In July we published a Draft Operating Blueprint setting out further detail on our

plans. We are continuing to test and refine the design for the future model with

partners and stakeholders as plans for the transition take shape. In Wales we are

proceeding with plans to move the responsibility for supervision of all offenders into

the NPS by the end of 2019. Our experience there will help inform the approach to

transition in England.

We continue to drive improvements in service delivery under existing arrangements,

including investing £22m per year to support an additional 500 CRC staff in prisons

delivering sustained support for offenders to find accommodation and employment on

release.

Reoffenders


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to help reduce rates of

prisoner reoffending.



Lucy Frazer:

This Government is committed to keeping the public safe and reducing reoffending by

ensuring that all offenders have the tools they need to turn their backs on crime.

We know that offenders can have a range of needs, which often drive offending

behaviour. Therefore, prisons and probation must provide the opportunity for

rehabilitation. That is why we are focusing our efforts on supporting offenders to

address any health and wellbeing issues; raise their levels of educational attainment

and skills; get a job; and rebuild or reinforce their relationships.

A concerted cross-government effort is required to address reoffending. We recently

announced a National Partnership Agreement with the DWP, which sets out how the

departments will jointly drive rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. We also continue

to work closely with our health and justice partners, and are collaborating with

MHCLG and local authorities on our offender accommodation pilots.

In addition, we are making positive progress in implementing the recommendations

set out by Lord Farmer in his report on strengthening prisoners’ family ties.

Reoffenders: Sentencing


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to review

sentencing policy for prolific offenders.

Chris Philp:

Protecting the public will always be our priority. One of the first acts by this Prime

Minister was to order an urgent review of sentencing. The focus of the review has

been on the sentencing for the most serious violent and sexual offenders and the

rules governing when and how those offenders are released. As part of the review,

we have also considered changes to sentencing for prolific offenders which could

help break the cycle of reoffending.

Based on the findings of the review, we will be bringing forward proposals shortly for

a comprehensive package of legislative reform. This will include amending the

automatic release point for the most serious sexual and violent offenders (where the

offence carries a maximum life sentence) from the half-way point to two thirds of the

sentence.

As part of this package of reform, we also plan to bring forward proposals for

community penalties that offer an appropriate level of punishment, while tackling the

underlying drivers of offending. We know that prolific offenders generally have

multiple and complex needs which are linked to their offending behaviour, in

particular drugs, alcohol and mental health needs. If we are to break the cycle of

reoffending, solutions will often lie in community sentences, including those which

address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse

needs, or provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community. On 1 October we

announced that we would be introducing Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring

Requirements (AAMR) across England and Wales, starting in 2020.


LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Carry Over Motions


To ask the Leader of the House, which of the 48 remaining orders and notices listed on

the Order Paper for Monday 30 September 2019 will be carried over into a subsequent

session of Parliament following any prorogation of the current session.

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg:

I refer the Hon member to paragraph 8.6 of Erskine May, which sets out the effect of

prorogation on business. Erskine May is now available online and paragraph 8.6 can

be viewed at https://erskinemay.parliament.uk/section/6499/effect-of-prorogation/.

Any primary legislation that has been subject to a carry-over motion agreed by the

House will be carried over into the second session.

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Legal Aid for

Separated Children) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2019


To ask the Leader of the House, with reference to the debate on EU Settlement Scheme:

Looked-after Children and Care Leavers on 3 September 2019, whether he has plans to

bring forward the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Legal

Aid for Separated Children) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2019 for debate.


To ask the Leader of the House, with reference to the debate on EU Settlement Scheme:

Looked-after Children and Care Leavers on 3 September 2019, what discussions he has

had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the provision of time for a debate on the

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Legal Aid for Separated

Children) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2019.

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg:

I have regular discussions with other members of the Cabinet on parliamentary

business and legislation. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders

Act 2012 (Legal Aid for Separated Children) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order

2019 has now been considered by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and

is scheduled for debate in the Twenty-First Delegated Legislation Committee on

Tuesday 8 October at 0855.

Social Media: Harassment


To ask the Leader of the House, what assessment he has made of the effect on political

debate and discussion of anonymous abuse and threats on social media.





Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg:

Democracy is a cornerstone of British values and key to a healthy democracy is

having respectful, vibrant and open debate. However, this freedom cannot be an

excuse to cause harm or spread hatred and a line is crossed when disagreement

mutates into intimidation, violence or abuse. The Government recognises that rising

levels of intimidation in public life can stop talented people, particularly women and

those from minority backgrounds, from standing for public office. In April this year, the

Government published the Online Harms White Paper, which sets out our plans for

world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Belfast Agreement: Brexit

Conor McGinn: [294247]

To ask Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment the Government has

made of the compatibility of the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement with (a) the UK

leaving the EU without a deal and (b) the Irish backstop.

Julian Smith:

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon Member in the time available before

Prorogation.

PRIME MINISTER

Prime Minister: Chief Scientific Advisers


To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief

Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

Boris Johnson:

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others.

SCOTLAND

Cash Dispensing: Scotland


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

Chancellor of the Exchequer on ensuring that people are able to access free-to-use cash

machines throughout Scotland.

Mr Alister Jack:

I have regular discussions on important Scottish economic matters with my Cabinet

colleagues, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer.




Technology has transformed banking for millions of people, but we know that many

still rely on cash. That is why we are co-ordinating work across government,

regulators and industry so we can protect access for everyone who needs it.

LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, has publicly committed to

maintain the broad geographic spread of ATMs and has put in place specific

arrangements to protect remote free-to-use ATMs one kilometre or further from the

next nearest free-to-use ATM. More recently, LINK has committed to protecting free

access to cash on high streets – where there is a cluster of five or more retailers –

that do not have a free-to-use ATM or a Post Office counter within 1 kilometre.

Occupational Pensions: Scotland


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

Secretary of State for Department for Work and Pensions on the effect of section 75 of

the Pensions Act 1995 on (a) plumbing pensions and (b) multi-employer pension

schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Alister Jack:

My Department works closely with the Department for Work and Pensions on a range

of issues that are relevant to Scotland.

The Government believes that the existing arrangements provide sufficient flexibility

for employers to manage their section 75 debts and that maintaining the current

calculation method is the most viable way of ensuring that members receive their

pension benefits over the longer term.

Public Sector: Scotland


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

made of public satisfaction with public services in Scotland.

Mr Alister Jack:

In a recent Scottish Government Household survey, we see that public satisfaction in

health, schools, education and public transport in Scotland has dropped to 51.7%, its

lowest level since 2007, which is extremely disappointing. These policy areas are

devolved to the Scottish Government and they must do more to improve public

services for the people of Scotland.



TRANSPORT

A34: Accidents


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 October 2019 to

Question 292331, what estimate he has made of the total number of (i) deaths and (ii)

fatalities on the A34 in 2018.

George Freeman:

There were 495 reported road casualties, including 10 fatalities, on the whole of the

A34 in 2018.

Air Travel Trust Fund: Insurance


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish the Air Travel Trust

Fund’s insurance policies.

Paul Maynard:

The Air Travel Trust Fund (ATT) is the primary source of funding when an ATOL

holder fails. The ATT has in place insurance policies that provide the Trust with

access to funds in the event of ATOL holder failure(s), where costs arising from

refunds and repatriation exceed either £150 million, £70 million or £10 million in a

policy year, depending on the size of the failed ATOL holder(s).

The specific terms of the policies are confidential between the ATT and its insurers.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost of insurance premiums on

insurance and reinsurance policies for the Air Travel Trust Fund was in the last 12

months.

Paul Maynard:

The most recent information is published in the Air Travel Trust’s 2018 Annual Report

and Accounts. Insurance premiums for the year to 31 March 2018 were £11,990,000


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the value is of the (a) insurance and (b)

reinsurance that the Air Travel Trust Fund has that covered the collapse of Thomas

Cook; and which insurance companies underwrite that insurance.

Paul Maynard:

The Air Travel Trust Fund (ATT) is the primary source of funding when an ATOL

holder fails. The ATT has in place insurance policies that provide the Trust with

access to funds in the event of ATOL holder failure(s), where costs arising from

refunds and repatriation exceed either £150 million, £70 million or £10 million in a

policy year, depending on the size of the failed ATOL holder(s).





Cover is provided by a panel of insurers and the annual limit is £400 million. The

specific terms of the policies are confidential between the ATT and its insurers.

Aviation: Egypt


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will make an assessment

of the potential merits of lifting the ban on direct flights from the UK to Sharm El Sheikh

airport in Egypt.

Paul Maynard:

The Department for Transport undertakes aviation security assessments at overseas

airports. UK aviation security experts are working closely with their Egyptian

counterparts on the ground. It is long standing government policy not to comment on

security matters, however I can confirm that we continue to work in partnership with

the Egyptian authorities, sharing aviation security expertise, and are grateful for their

close engagement and support.

We look forward to achieving the return of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh when the

situation allows.

Cycling and Walking: Surrey


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has allocated to

(a) Woking and (b) Surrey for projects relating to his Department's cycling and walking

investment strategy in the last three years.

Chris Heaton-Harris:

The Department has provided £0.784 million for Bikeability training in schools in

Surrey. Surrey County Council is one of the 46 local authorities benefiting from a total

of £1.5 million investment to support the development of Local Cycling and Walking

Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs). The Department has also allocated around £64 million

to Surrey from non-ringfenced funding streams (including the Integrated Transport

Block and Maintenance Block) of which a certain percentage is spent on measures

which benefit cyclists and pedestrians. Local authorities are also able to use other

local funds for cycling and walking projects.

Surrey County Council is part of the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership

(LEP), which was allocated almost £125 million through the Local Growth Fund

(LGF). The Department conducted a survey of LEPs about investment of LGF on

cycling and walking projects and this has shown that Enterprise M3 has allocated

£42.3 million for cycling and walking projects in their region, including for projects in

Woking and Guildford.



Department for Transport: Chief Scientific Advisers


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings he had with his

Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

George Freeman:

The Secretary of State for Transport had no meetings with his Department’s Chief

Scientific Adviser between 1 June and 31 August 2019.

The Minister for State for the Future of Transport, George Freeman MP, had five

meetings with the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser in the same timeframe.

Department for Transport: Jainism


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will invite representatives of the Jain


statement.


The Department for Transport is an inclusive department and we work with a diverse

range of communities and stakeholders. When planning events we work closely with

local authorities and other organisations to ensure that representatives of

communities that may be interested in attending, including the Jain community,

receive invitations.

Egypt: Aviation


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the level of

risk of lifting the UK flight ban to Sharm el Sheikh.

Paul Maynard:

The Department for Transport undertakes aviation security assessments at overseas

airports. UK aviation security experts are working closely with their Egyptian

counterparts on the ground. It is long standing government policy not to comment on

security matters, however I can confirm that we continue to work in partnership with

the Egyptian authorities, sharing aviation security expertise, and are grateful for their

close engagement and support.

We look forward to achieving the return of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh when the

situation allows.

Electric Scooters


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeframe is for the publication of

the Future of Mobility regulatory review.





George Freeman:

The Future of Mobility regulatory review is a once in a generation opportunity to

ensure our regulatory framework supports transport innovation.

The first key milestone will be a call for evidence which we plan to launch in autumn

this year. We will use the responses to identify where reform is needed now to

address areas with a pressing need for change. The responses will also help the

Government clarify where further work is necessary ahead of more substantial

changes to legislation over the next few years.

Electric Vehicles: Batteries


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

of the effect on electric vehicle battery range of (a) low or high temperatures and (b) the

use of in-car heating or air conditioning.

George Freeman:

Really low and really high temperatures can impact an electric vehicle’s battery

range. Currently, the operating temperatures for electric vehicle battery cells are -

20°C to +60°C. Vehicle manufacturers compensate for this at pack level through pre-

conditioning as well as heating and cooling systems, the drawback being that these

draw energy. Applications in aerospace and defence have even more challenging

operating temperatures. The Government has committed £274m to the Industrial

Strategy’s Faraday Battery Challenge which includes understanding the effects of

temperature further. The Challenge is supporting battery R&D from the Faraday

Institution’s academic research through Innovate UK’s programme of collaborative

R&D and to scale-up in the cutting-edge UK Battery Industrialisation Centre. One of

the aims of the Faraday programme is to improve the operating range of battery cells,

including to -40°C to +80°C by 2035 therefore enabling better performance and

efficiency at higher and lower ambient temperatures.

Thermal loads from heating, ventilation and air-conditioning affect the battery range

of electrical vehicles and is most critical for vehicles like refrigerated trucks. The

Office for Low Emission Vehicle’s Integrated Delivery Programme is funding R&D

projects aiming to maximise the efficiency of the electric powertrain and significantly

extend an electric vehicle’s range further.

Large Goods Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to develop a

strategy for the introduction of low-carbon heavy goods vehicles.

George Freeman:

The Government recognises the need to increase ambition and step up the pace of

progress to ensure that all transport sector modes, including freight, play their part in

delivering net zero emissions by 2050. We are investing nearly £1.5bn between April



2015 and March 2021 to support the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles, including

HGVs. The funding includes the Plug-in Van Grant that provides £20,000 off the price

of the first 200 large vans (3.5t+) or trucks, our £22m Future Fuels for Flight and

Freight Competition, our ten-year trial of longer semi-trailers, the £11m Low Carbon

Truck and Refuelling Infrastructure Trial and the £20m Low Emission Freight Trial.

We have agreed an industry-wide voluntary target for reducing HGV greenhouse gas

emissions by 15% by 2025, from 2015 levels and are collaborating with and support

industry in achieving this goal.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Mr Damian Hinds: [293526]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has issued to

enforcement officers in relation to idling engines; and whether he plans to update that

guidance.

George Freeman:

Guidance for Local Authorities on idling enforcement was last issued in 2002. This is

when the relevant regulations, the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty)

(England) Regulations 2002), were enacted. This guidance is currently being revised

by the Department and will be reissued to Local Authorities in the coming months.

Northern

Grahame Morris: [293529]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 July 2019 to

Question 279431 on Northern, what allowable Changes have been applied to the Arriva

Rail North franchise subsidy in (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18 and (c) 2018-19.


For the years 2016/17 through to 2018/19, allowable changes that have been agreed

and applied to their subsidy cover the remapping of services from TPE to Northern

and a change in the fares policy changing the annual regulated fares increase

assumed at bid from RPI+1% to RPI only

Discussions continue with Northern on the impact of other allowable changes that will

be applied to the franchise subsidy. These cover changes to Network Rail’s costs and

changes to scope and timing of planned infrastructure upgrades.

All these changes are in line with the terms of the Franchise Agreement.

Parking: Pedestrian Areas

Emma Hardy: [292982]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to undertake a review

of the legislation on pavement parking.




George Freeman:

Earlier this year, the Department for Transport completed a comprehensive review of

pavement parking in England looking at the extent of the problem, the effectiveness

of the current legislation and options for change. This review concluded shortly before

the announcement of the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into pavement parking

in April 2019.

The Department for Transport is considering the conclusions of the Transport Select

Committee’s inquiry, alongside the findings of its own review, before deciding upon

any course of action to tackle the problem of pavement parking.

Railways: Huddersfield

Jonathan Reynolds: [293566]

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

adequacy of the latest timetable and scope of improvements being planned to

TransPennine Services on the Huddersfield Rail line; and if he will make a statement.


Transport for the North, the Department for Transport and the rail industry monitor

timetable changes and agreed actions for the December 2018 timetable which gave

passengers a more resilient service on the Huddersfield line. These measures have

continued into 2019 and the planned introduction of new longer trains and timetable

improvements for this December means further stability, faster services and

increased capacity.

Roads: Mansfield


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding he has allocated to repair roads

in Mansfield constituency in the last year for which information is available.

George Freeman:

Department for Transport funding for local highway maintenance is allocated by

formula to local highway authorities at the upper tier, to county councils or unitary

authorities, so it is not available by Parliamentary constituency.

In 2019/20 the Department is allocating £18.423 million to Nottinghamshire County

Council for local highway maintenance. Of this, £12.006 million is the Highways

Maintenance Block Needs Element, £2.501 million is Highways

Maintenance Block Incentive Element and £3.916 million is Integrated Transport

Block funding. In addition, the Department allocated £0.859 million through the

Pothole Action Fund and Flood Resilience Fund for 2019/20.



Roads: Rural Areas


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to improve the

condition of rural roads.

George Freeman:

The Government is providing over £6.6 billion of funding to local highway authorities

for local highways maintenance in England, outside London, between 2015 and 2021

to help them tackle the condition of the local road network. Well-planned

maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects forming on the roads is vital.

Councils that do this well get better value for every pound spent and improve their

customer satisfaction. So, from 2016/17, this Government introduced incentive

funding to help encourage local highway authorities to manage their road networks

better and achieve greater efficiencies.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to

maintain the local highway network in their area. The Act does not set out specific

standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to

assess which parts of its network need repair based on its local knowledge and

circumstances. In a rural area there will be many miles of roads so it is for each local

highway authority to decide how to prioritise maintenance of its road network.

Roads: Surrey


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has

allocated to road improvement works in (a) Surrey and (b) Woking constituency in each of

the last three years; and what funding he plans to allocate to such works in the 2020-21

financial year.

George Freeman:

Department for Transport funding for local highway maintenance is allocated mainly

by formula to local highway authorities at the upper tier, to county councils or unitary

authorities, so we are unable to provide a break down by Parliamentary constituency.

The formula comprises the Needs Element (£725 million in England outside London

in 2019/20) and the Incentive/Efficiency Element (£150 million 2019/20). Integrated

Transport Block (ITB) is a formula distribution of capital funding to local transport

authorities, which is designed to fund small-scale local transport improvements,

including road safety measures, public transport and public realm improvements.

In each of the last three years the Department’s allocation to Surrey County Council

for local highway maintenance and for ITB was as follows:

2017/18 £21.072 million

2018/19 £21.056 million

2019/20 £21.034 million



The proposed allocation for 2020/21 is £21.034 million.

Following Budget 2018, Surrey County Council received a share, £7.409 million, of

the £420 million additional funding announced for England. This was for local

highways maintenance including the repair of potholes, to keep local bridges and

structures open and safe, and to aid other minor highway works.

Surrey County Council has a Private Finance Initiative for street lighting, for which the

revenue grant payment in each of the last three years was £5.955 million.

In addition, Surrey County Council has received over £3.7 million in total over the last

three years through the Pothole Action Fund.

Shared Spaces: Visual Impairment

Martyn Day: [293651]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Inclusive Transport

Strategy, published on 25 July 2018, when his Department plans to publish updated

guidance for local authorities creating a shared space that is also accessible for visually

impaired people.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

Following the commitment in the Inclusive Transport Strategy, the Department is

working with Transport Scotland on the research into inclusive street design. This is a

collaborative project between the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland,

which began in August and is scheduled to complete early next year. Following the

conclusion of the research, we will consider the recommendations, and therefore how

best to update our guidance.

South Western Railway: Standards


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what targets his Department has set to

measure the performance of South Western Railway.


Targets for performance are set out in Schedule 7.1 of the South Western Franchise

Agreement, a version of which is published on Gov.UK at the following link:


ent_data/file/833157/south_western_railways_2017_rail_franchise_agreement.pdf

Taxis: Disability


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

taxis more accessible for disabled people.



https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/833157/south_western_railways_2017_rail_franchise_agreement.pdf





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

prevent taxi drivers from discriminating against people with disability assistance dogs.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

In July 2018 the Department published its Inclusive Transport Strategy, with the

intention of supporting a transport network which enables disabled people to travel

easily, confidently and without additional cost. Disabled people make twice as many

journeys by taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) as non-disabled people and it is

essential that operators and authorities play their part in making this a reality.

The Government plans to update guidance to local licensing authorities on the

provision of an inclusive service, including the appropriate treatment of passengers

with assistance dogs.

In the meantime I urge authorities to ensure that drivers receive suitable disability

awareness training and that robust action is taken against those who discriminate

illegally against disabled passengers.

Thomas Cook: Insolvency


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money he expects to recover from

credit and debit card companies in relation to the costs incurred after the collapse of

Thomas Cook.

Paul Maynard:

This is one of the largest travel company failures we have ever seen. A failure of this

size, and the number of passengers affected, is unprecedented. In these

circumstances, it is right that the government should step in and help affected

passengers return home as smoothly as possible.

We are seeking to minimise the impact on government and taxpayers by recovering

tax payer funds expended in relation to the repatriation operation where appropriate

through the ATOL scheme, credit card companies and travel insurance .

Train Operating Companies: Safety

Dr Matthew Offord: [292894]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the safety performance of train operating

companies at train stations is reported.


As health and safety regulator for the rail industry, including at stations, the Office of

Rail and Road (ORR) have responsibility for setting requirements for train operators

in relation to reporting safety performance. In order to operate services, operators are

required to operate and maintain a safety management system and to have this

certified or authorised by the ORR every five years.




Vehicle Number Plates: Flags


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to

introduce a British number plate that incorporates the Union flag and the GB national

identifier so that British cars comply with the UN's Geneva Convention on Road Traffic

1949 and Vienna Convention on Road Traffic 1968 without requiring an oval GB sticker

after the UK leaves the EU.

George Freeman:

The law in the United Kingdom already allows for the use of national identifiers on

number plates for domestic use.

The use of a GB identifier on a number plate is recognised by countries that have

signed up to the Vienna Convention.

Those countries which have not signed up to the Vienna Convention will still require

the use of a GB sticker as the Convention does not include provisions for

distinguishing signs in a number plate.

Therefore, advice to customers to avoid any difficulties when travelling internationally

would be to use a GB sticker on their vehicle.

West Coast Partnership Rail Franchise: Catering


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there there are plans to change the

operational models for supplying train catering store supplies on the First Trenitalia West

Coast franchise.


The operational management of the franchise will be a matter for the operator, First

Trenitalia West Coast, who can be contacted via First Group

(https://www.firstgroupplc.com/).

TREASURY

Borders: Northern Ireland

Angela Smith: [294690]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the detailed planning

assumptions of the Border Delivery Group for each month since January 2019.

Jesse Norman:

The Government recently published its reasonable worst case planning assumptions

on 11 September, setting out the Government’s assessment as of 2 August.Planning

assumptions are held under constant review, to reflect the latest evidence and

analysis of the potential impact of leaving the EU without a deal. The Government’s

updated planning assumptions will be published in due course.




Employment: Taxation

Christian Matheson: [292929]

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

the roll-out of the off-payroll rules on levels of UK contracting roles.

Jesse Norman:

The off-payroll working rules have been in place since 2000. Reforms to how the off-

payroll rules are administered in the public sector have been in place since 6 April

2017. Independent research into the reforms in the public sector showed there was

no clear evidence of a reduction in the number of contractor roles, relative to public

sector bodies’ overall workforce. Most public sector bodies did not experience any

change in their ability to fill vacancies, following the reforms.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will issue guidance on the recourse

available to people in Crewe and Nantwich constituency who have either not been paid

out for Equitable Life or who have received insufficient compensation.

John Glen:

There are no plans to reopen the Payment Scheme or review the £1.5 billion funding

allocation previously made to it. The Equitable Life Payment Scheme closed to claims

in 2015 and further guidance on the status of the Payment Scheme after closure is

available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equitable-life-payment-scheme#closure-of-

the-scheme.

Fossil Fuels: VAT


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

merits of reviewing reduced VAT on heating fuels deriving from fossil fuels.

Mr Simon Clarke:

The Government has no plans to increase the rate of VAT on fuels used for

household energy.

However, all taxes are kept under review and decisions on tax are considered as part

of the normal fiscal policy making process.

Fuels: Excise Duties


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

total revenue the public purse has forgone due to the freeze in fuel duty since 2011.





Mr Simon Clarke:

Based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) published policy costings, we

estimate the cumulative loss to the Exchequer from the successive fuel duty freezes

from financial year 2011-12 to the current financial year 2018-19 to be around

£46.2bn to the benefit of the UK taxpayer.

The annual impacts on the Exchequer are reported in the table below.

2011-

12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Exchequer impact (£m) -2,275 -3,465 -4,645 -5,800 -6,375 -6,815 -7,875 -8,070

The OBR’s policy costings are available at the following link:

https://obr.uk/download/policy-measures-database/

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands


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

the effect of rises in income tax thresholds on income distribution in the last 10 years.

Jesse Norman:

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 30th September (written question

number 290638).

Inflation and Pay


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

rates of wage growth and inflation.

John Glen:

The fundamentals of the British economy are strong – wages are growing at the

fastest rate in over a decade, employment is at a joint record high and the

unemployment rate is at its lowest in over 40 years. Inflation has been at or around

target since the start of 2019, and as a result wages have now outpaced inflation on a

CPI basis for over a year.

On 1 April 2019, we increased the National Living Wage by 4.9% to £8.21 - an above

inflation increase which meant that a full-time worker on the National Living Wage

would be earning £690 more over the coming year. Supported by the National Living

Wage, the lowest earners have seen their wages grow by 8% above inflation

between April 2015 and April 2018.





Insolvency

Mr Adrian Bailey: [292832]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his officials had with the

Insolvency Service on the draft Finance Bill 2019-20 prior to its publication on 11 July

2019; and whether views were sought on the policy to make HMRC a secondary

preferential creditor in insolvencies.



establishing HMRC as a secondary preferential creditor in insolvencies on the

sustainability of the Pension Protection Fund.


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

effect of the policy to make HMRC a secondary preferential creditor in insolvencies on the

number of corporate insolvencies from Q1 2020 onwards.



establishing HMRC as a secondary preferential creditor in insolvencies on the ability of

SMEs to access finance.

Jesse Norman:

The Government carefully considered the case for reform prior to announcing this

change last year, and it is the Government’s view that taxpayers can reasonably

expect that when they have successfully paid their taxes, these go to fund public

services as intended.

This measure represents a proportionate approach that balances the interests of

taxpayers, the Exchequer, and other creditors.

The Government expects the impact on the sustainability of Pension Protection Fund

(PPF) to be marginal. This reform will not lead to a significant change in recoveries to

the PPF compared to current returns.

The Government does not expect this reform to affect significantly SMEs’ access to

finance or corporate insolvencies, and in line with the Government’s commitment to

open and consultative policymaking is engaging with a wide variety of stakeholders to

ensure policy changes are well informed and based upon the best available

evidence.

Non-domestic Rates: Appeals


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

effectiveness of the business rates appeal system Check, Challenge, Appeal.






Jesse Norman:

Official statistics published by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) on 22 August show

that the system is operating as intended with issues being resolved at the appropriate

stage. At 30 June 2019, 100,740 Checks and 17,010 Challenges had been

registered, of which 89,440 Checks and 6,300 Challenges had been resolved. Most

Checks are currently being resolved in 3 months and most Challenges within 12

months.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government intends to carry out a

review of the effectiveness of the Check, Challenge, Appeal system. The VOA is also

conducting a customer evaluation of the delivery of the new system.

Private Rented Housing: Taxation

John Healey: [294679]

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

between tax owed and tax paid by private landlords.

Jesse Norman:

The information requested is not available as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) do

not make a separate estimate of the proportion of the total tax gap attributable to

private landlords.

However, HMRC do estimate the tax gap arising from individuals in employment who

have not declared and therefore not paid tax on lettings income. The latest estimate

of this tax gap was £560 million for the tax year 2017-18.

Productivity


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of productivity growth can be

attributed to financial technology in the last five years.

Mr Simon Clarke:

The government has not made an assessment of the proportion of productivity

growth in the last five years that is attributable to financial technology.

However, the Government has taken significant steps to increase competition in

financial services, including creating an environment in which Fintech firms can grow

and compete with incumbents. The Competition and Market Authority has led the

Open Banking initiative, bringing more competition and innovation to financial

services. The FCA has also established the Innovation Hub and Regulatory Sandbox

to support Fintech, both of which are held up as global examples of best practice.

Further information on the Government’s efforts to promote Fintech can be found in

the Fintech Sector Strategy, published in March 2018.



Service Industries: Non-domestic Rates



effect of the application of state aid rules to business rates on the hospitality sector.

Jesse Norman:

While the UK is an EU member state the UK continues to be bound by State aid

rules.

The Government has taken repeated action to reduce the burden of business rates

for all ratepayers, including those in the hospitality sector.

Solar Power: VAT


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answers of 3 October 2019 to

Questions 292302 and 292304, what the evidential basis is for the conclusion that VAT

changes to materials used for solar installations will have a negligible environmental

impact.

Jesse Norman:

The changes to the VAT rules for energy-saving materials are expected to affect a

relatively small number of installations. It is therefore anticipated that there will be a

negligible impact on the environment.

Around 1,500 future installations of solar panels, energy-saving boilers and wind

turbines are expected to be affected annually, plus some other smaller scale items.

This represents less than 5% of the value of all installations currently eligible for the

reduced rate. The changes are expected to have a negligible impact on the

Exchequer.

A Tax Information and Impact Note was published by HMRC on GOV.UK on 10 July

2019.

Spirits: Excise Duties

Graham P Jones: [294132]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to reduce the rate of duty on

spirits distilled by smaller distilleries in the UK.

Mr Simon Clarke:

The government has no current plans to introduce a small spirits relief. However, all

taxes are kept under review and the impact of such a change is considered at each

fiscal event; including its effect on the industry and wider economy.




Tax Avoidance

Graham P Jones: [294131]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to revise the current duty

collection arrangements on post duty point dilution tax avoidance.

Mr Simon Clarke:

At Budget 2018, the government announced its plans to prohibit the practice of post

duty point dilution (PDPD) from April 2020. From that date, wine and made-wine

producers will not be able to use PDPD to reduce the excise duty they must pay.

Legislation to be included within Finance Bill 2019-20 will give HM Revenue &

Customs new sanctions that may be applied to any producer that continues to use

PDPD after that date.

There are no plans to revise the existing arrangements for duty collection.

Tax Avoidance


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure the impartiality

of the leader of the inquiry into loan charge schemes.

Jesse Norman:

The Chancellor has commissioned Sir Amyas Morse, former CEO of the National

Audit Office, to lead an independent Review to consider the impact of the Loan

Charge, focusing on individuals who entered directly into disguised remuneration

schemes.

Sir Amyas is widely respected, as was emphasised by colleagues across the House

in a debate of 6 March 2019.

Sir Amyas has full control over how the Review is run and the outcome. For more

information, the Review’s terms of reference can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disguised-remuneration-independent-

loan-charge-review


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

taxpayers working for a single employer under a Loan Charge scheme who would not

have had the choice of being employed directly by that employer.

Jesse Norman:

Disguised remuneration (DR) schemes are contrived arrangements that use loan

payments in place of ordinary remuneration, usually through an offshore trust, with

the purpose of avoiding income tax and National Insurance contributions. The loans

are provided on terms that mean they are not repaid in practice. HM Revenue and

Customs’ (HMRC) position is that they are no different to income, and that they are

and have always been taxable.



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disguised-remuneration-independent-loan-charge-review




The Government has heard claims that some individuals were compelled to use DR

schemes, but HMRC have not seen cases that support this claim.

Taxation: USA


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has made to his

counterpart in the US Administration on the creation of accidental Americans through the

US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

Jesse Norman:

It is a matter for the US government to determine how US tax obligations are

calculated. This includes how these obligations apply to people born in the US. The

US has a long-standing policy of taxing on the basis of citizenship rather than

residence. The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act is a reporting mechanism that

obliges financial institutions to report the details of US citizens to the US. UK

Government officials continue to actively and regularly engage with their US

counterparts regarding US citizens who are resident in the UK.

Treasury: Jainism


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will invite representatives of the Jain


statement.

Mr Simon Clarke:


Government values its contribution immensely and is always keen to work with the

Jain community on matters that are important to them, and we will continue to do so.

Valuation Office Agency: Finance



adequacy of the level of funding for the Valuation Office Agency in order to ensure that it

is able to effectively process business rates appeals.

Jesse Norman:

The Treasury has provided the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) with the resources it

needs to deliver the valuations and property advice required to support the smooth

running of the taxation and benefits system.

At Spending Review 2019, HMRC (the VOA’s sponsor department) received a

resource budget increase in line with inflation from 2019/20 to 2020/21.

The Treasury continues to work closely with the VOA and HMRC to understand the

VOA’s resource requirements to deliver its functions and is committed to ensure that

the VOA is appropriately funded.




WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Government Equalities Office: Females

Dawn Butler: [263099]

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what progress has been made on the

Government Equalities Office review of its engagement with women and women's

organisations; and when she plans to publish the findings of that review.

Victoria Atkins:

The former Minister for Women and Equalities, my Rt Hon. Friend for Portsmouth

North, told the Women and Equalities Select Committee in December 2018 she had

commissioned a programme to enable the Equalities Office to better engage with

women’s organisations. [This was a programme of work and not a formal review of

engagement]. The programme is reaching organisations across the country and

includes a City Listening project in Bristol, Leicester and Leeds where forums are

being held for women to make their voices better heard by policy makers.

Sanitary Protection: Disadvantaged

Catherine McKinnell: [290759]

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the

potential benefits of providing free sanitary products to women on low incomes beyond

compulsory school age.

Victoria Atkins:

No one should be held back from reaching their potential because of their gender.

This is why the former Minister for Women and Equalities, my Rt Hon. Friend for

Portsmouth North, announced a cross-sectoral Taskforce that looks beyond those in

schools to other vulnerable groups in society. The Taskforce includes an ‘Access for

all’ workstream which, as part of its remit, will review existing initiatives designed to

provide period products to vulnerable groups, identify gaps and highlight the groups

on which potential new interventions should focus. The Taskforce will report on this in

due course.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training on the Access to

Work scheme is provided to work coaches or advisors who support disabled young

people receiving employment and support allowance.

Justin Tomlinson:

Work Coaches are supported by Disability Employment Advisers (DEA’s) who

provide coaching and mentoring to Work Coaches on disability issues. Technical




learning for DEA’s includes a workshop on Provision and Support for claimants with a

disability, this learning covers the Access to Work Scheme.

The topic of the Access to Work scheme is covered in a number of learning products

for Access to Work advisors who support applicants, some of whom may be in receipt

of ESA, through the Access to Work process. This learning includes an Access to

Work Workshop. There is also an Access to Work Disability Awareness Workbook

which details how Access to Work can help a disabled person.

In addition, each member of staff in the DWP, including work coaches, has regular

performance conversations with their line manager. These conversations include

identifying any learning needs particular to their role, including Access to Work if

appropriate.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Access to Work

applications were (a) made and (b) successful in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland

in (A) 2016-17, (B) 2017-18 and (B) 2018-19.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time

was for support to provided to successful applications for Access to Work in (a) England,

(b) Wales and (c) Scotland in (i) 2016-17, (ii) 2017-18 and (iii) 2018-19.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the longest time period was

for a successful applicant for Access to Work support waited for before that support was

put in place in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland in 2018-19.

Justin Tomlinson:

The information requested about number of applications and length of time between

application and receiving support is not readily available and to provide it would incur

disproportionate cost.

However, in regard to number of successful applications, the published Access to

Work statistics include how many applications resulted in provision being approved

broken down by financial year and various customer characteristics including region.

Please see Table 3 of the Access to Work statistics.

The latest Access to Work statistics can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-

march-2019




https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2019



Child Maintenance Service

Lyn Brown: [293506]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Child Maintenance

Service holds data on the number of active cases managed by that service by

Parliamentary constituency.

Mims Davies:

Figures on number of active cases managed by the Child Maintenance Service

broken down by Parliamentary constituency are intended for future publication.

The Department currently publishes figures which show geographical breakdowns to

Local Authority level of the main figures from the Child Maintenance Service statistics

to June 2019.

These can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-statistics-data-

to-june-2019-experimental

Children: Day Care


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Scottish Government

has requested that her Department administer the new Scottish child payment and; and

what estimate she has made of the cost of administering that payment.

Mims Davies:

The Scottish Child Payment will be administered by Social Security Scotland. The

Department will assist the Scottish Government where this is feasible. The cost of

administration will fall to the Scottish Government.

Children: Disadvantaged

Lyn Brown: [291347]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of

the potential merits of ensuring that data held by her Department that would qualify a

person's child for free school meals also captures (a) how many children that person is

the main carer of and b) the school year of each qualifying child.

Will Quince:

The Department provides colleagues at the Department for Education (DfE)

projections of the Universal Credit caseload, split by the earnings of the household

and number of children in each household by age. This enables DfE to estimate how

many households will be eligible for Free School Meals in the future.


https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-statistics-data-to-june-2019-experimental





Department for Work and Pensions: Chief Scientific Advisers


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings she had with

her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

Mims Davies:

There were no meetings between the Secretary of State and her Departments Chief

Scientific Officer from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

Department for Work and Pensions: Crispin Odey


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish (a) the outcome

of all meetings and (b) all call logs between Ministers of her Department and Mr Crispin

Odey.

Mims Davies:


There are no recorded departmental meetings or call logs between Mr Crispin Odey

and Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Department for Work and Pensions: Jainism


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will invite representatives of

the Jain community to national events organised by her Department; and if she will make

a statement.

Mims Davies:



The Jain Community are currently not members of the Department for Work and

Pensions’ Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum. The forum meets quarterly

and enables stakeholders and representatives to shape operational delivery, build

positive relationships and communicate key messages, such as national

departmental events.


important to them, and we will continue to do so. The Jain Community would be very

welcome to join the departmental forum.

Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker's Allowance

Mark Tami: [294680]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Jobcentre staff receive

training to identify when a new claimant would be entitled to new-style employment and

support allowance or new-style jobseeker's allowance.





Justin Tomlinson:


Prorogation.

Employment: Autism

Julie Cooper: [294727]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the oral

contribution of the Minister for Disabled People of 2 July 2019, Official Report column

1180, what the outcome is of his discussions with the Office for National Statistics on

including the numbers of autistic people in work as part of the labour force survey.

Justin Tomlinson:

The Office for National Statistics is currently testing the addition of a measure of

autism to the Labour Force Survey. Should the testing be successful, it is anticipated

that it will be added to the survey in early 2020. This will give us a better

understanding of the employment status for many autistic people of working age.

Independent Case Examiner

Ms Karen Buck: [292819]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will set out the performance

targets for the determination of complaints to the Independent Case Examiner’s Office in

2019-20.

Mims Davies:

When the Independent Case Examiner’s Office accepts a complaint for examination;

they will initially try to resolve it in discussion with the complainant and the relevant

business area. If it’s not possible to resolve the complaint, the evidence will be

requested and the case will await allocation to an Investigation Case Manager (ICM).

Cases are dealt with by dedicated teams and are usually brought into investigation in

strict date order. Following an examination of the evidence, it may be possible to

settle the complaint, if agreement can be reached on actions that satisfy the

complainant. If the complaint can’t be settled, the Independent Case Examiner will

issue a report detailing findings and any recommendations for redress.

The Independent Case Examiner’s service standards for 2019-20 for the

determination of complaints are as follows:

• To resolve complaints within 8 weeks of accepting them for examination

• To settle complaints within 15 weeks of the start of the investigation.

• To complete investigation reports within 20 weeks of the start of the investigation.

Ms Karen Buck: [292820]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what Independent Case

Examiner’s Office budget is for 2019-20.




Mims Davies:

The Independent Case Examiner’s Office’s budget for 2019-20 is £3,525,303.

Job Centres: Closures

Yvette Cooper: [292104]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job centres have closed

in each constituency in each year between 2010 and the most recent year for which

figures are available.

Mims Davies:

Staff and service delivery have, where possible, been relocated to alternative DWP

buildings or partner organisation’s buildings in order to maintain delivery of services

to customers. Since 1st February 2010 through to 3rd October 2019, 219 buildings

through which Jobcentre Plus services were delivered have been closed. On

occasions jobcentres were closed to merge with other, bigger jobcentres or to

accommodate co-location needs.

Our DWP estate announcement on 5 July 2017 confirmed that some smaller

jobcentres would merge with larger ones, and others would be co-located in local

government premises. Merging our staff and services from some smaller or

underutilised jobcentres, into larger jobcentres nearby, makes better use of space

and reduces costs to the taxpayer while still maintaining the same excellent level of

customer service.

This has enabled the Department to offer a more efficient service, while delivering

good value for the taxpayer.

We are committed to retaining a Jobcentre Plus network and continuing to serve

throughout GB to make sure they can continue to access the Jobcentre Plus services

they need.


Alison Thewliss: [294191]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department plans to

respond to the letter of 2 September 2019 from the hon. member for Glasgow Central

addressed to the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work on the issue of work at

height.

Justin Tomlinson:

The Minister for Work and Pensions (Lords) responded to the hon. member on

Tuesday 8 October 2019.

Occupational Pensions: Carshalton and Wallington

Tom Brake: [294082]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of

people have (a) opted out after being auto-enrolled into a workplace pension and (b)




saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum contribution in Carshalton and Wallington

constituency in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Guy Opperman:

Automatic enrolment has achieved a quiet revolution through getting employees into

the habit of pension saving, and reversing the decline in workplace pension

participation in the decade prior to these reforms. Since automatic enrolment started

in 2012 participation rates have been transformed with 87% of eligible employees

saving into a workplace pension in 2018, up from 55% in 2012.

The Department does not hold data for individual constituencies in relation to opt outs

or the number of individuals who have saved above the automatic enrolment

minimum contribution level. However, we do know that overall around 9% of

automatically enrolled workers have chosen to opt out which is significantly below

original estimates; and our latest evaluation report shows that, in April 2017,

approximately 5.9 million eligible employees were already meeting the April 2019

minimum contribution rates.

I am providing the following information about the impact of automatic enrolment in

your constituency, as of August 2019:

In the Carshalton and Wallington constituency, since 2012, approximately 11,000

eligible jobholders have been automatically enrolled and 1,530 employers have met

their duties.

Automatic Enrolment Evaluation Report 2018, available via the following weblink:


ent_data/file/764964/Automatic_Enrolment_Evaluation_Report_2018.pdf.

The Pensions Regulator’s data on Automatic enrolment declaration of compliance by

constituency, available via the following weblink:

https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-

analysis/data-requests

Occupational Pensions: Dunfermline and West Fife




saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum contribution in the Dunfermline and West

Fife constituency in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Guy Opperman:






https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/764964/Automatic_Enrolment_Evaluation_Report_2018.pdf













In the Dunfermline and West Fife constituency, since 2012, approximately 7,000

eligible jobholders have been automatically enrolled and 1,310 employers have met

their duties.








Occupational Pensions: Erith and Thamesmead

Teresa Pearce: [293532]


people in Erith and Thamesmead constituency have (a) opted out after being auto-

enrolled into a workplace pension and (b) saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum

contribution.

Guy Opperman:


















https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests




In the Erith and Thamesmead constituency, since 2012, approximately 5,000 eligible

jobholders have been automatically enrolled and 1,180 employers have met their

duties.








Occupational Pensions: Newport West




saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum contribution in Newport West constituency

in the latest period for which figures are available.

Guy Opperman:















In the Newport West constituency, since 2012, approximately 11,000 eligible


duties.














analysis/data-requests.

Occupational Pensions: Northampton South

Andrew Lewer: [293715]


people in Northampton South constituency have (a) opted out after being auto-enrolled

into a workplace pension and (b) saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum

contribution.

Guy Opperman:















In the Northampton South constituency, since 2012, approximately 39,000 eligible


duties.








Occupational Pensions: Shipley

Philip Davies: [293501]


people in Shipley constituency have (a) opted out after being auto-enrolled into a

workplace pension and (b) saved more than the auto-enrolment minimum contribution.












Guy Opperman:















In the Shipley constituency, since 2012, approximately 9,000 eligible jobholders have

been automatically enrolled and 1,590 employers have met their duties.









analysis/data-requests.

Pension Credit


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is

taking to ensure that information relating to Pension Credit eligibility is accessible to

people who are classed as being digitally excluded.

Guy Opperman:

There are over 1.6 million people already claiming £5.4 billion in Pension Credit but

the Government wants to ensure that all pensioners eligible can claim the Pension

Credit to which they are rightly entitled.

The DWP uses a wide range of channels, in addition to www.gov.uk, to communicate

information about benefits to potential claimants. We target activity on engaging with

people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim

State Pension, Attendance Allowance or when they report a change in their

circumstances which could result in them becoming eligible for Pension Credit. Staff








http://www.gov.uk/

http://www.gov.uk/

in Pension Centres and Jobcentres as well as DWP visiting officers are able to

provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits including Pension Credit either

to individuals or community groups. Staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing

Benefit also provide information about Pension Credit

For general enquiries about Pension Credit, potential customers can telephone the

freephone Pension Service helpline on 08007310469 and the easiest way to make a

claim is via the freephone claim line 0800991234. Anyone wishing to make a claim by

post can request a paper application form.

The Government wants to make sure that all older people receive the support they

are entitled to and we therefore also welcome and encourage initiatives to promote

take up of Pension Credit by national and local organisations who may often be the

first place people turn to for information and help.

Personal Independence Payment


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people receiving

personal independence payments are in receipt of both the mobility and daily living

components.

Justin Tomlinson:

The latest available data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims in

payment which can be split by the Daily Living and Mobility components a claimant is

receiving can be found at https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/.

Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://stat-

xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

Personal Independence Payment: Appeals


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was to her

Department of personal independence payment appeals which over-turned the decision

of her Department over the last 12 months.

Justin Tomlinson:

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur


Personal Independence Payment: Epilepsy


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with a primary

condition of epilepsy who receive personal independence payments that are in receipt of

the mobility component.


https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html







condition of epilepsy receiving personal independence payments (PIP) are in receipt of

the PIP daily living component.



condition of epilepsy receiving personal independence payments (PIP) are in receipt of

both the mobility and daily living components of PIP.



personal independence payments are in receipt of the PIP mobility component.



personal independence payments are in receipt of the PIP daily living component.

Justin Tomlinson:

The latest available data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims in

payment which can be split by the Daily Living and Mobility component a claimant is

receiving and by their main disabling condition can be found at https://stat-

xplore.dwp.gov.uk/.

Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://stat-

xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

Plumbing and Mechanical Services (UK) Industry Pension Scheme


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of

the effect of Section 75 debt notification letters issued from the Plumbing and Mechanical

Services (UK) Industry Pension multi-employer pension scheme on (a) the financial

viability of that scheme, (b) people in that scheme and (c) the value of the debt requests;


Guy Opperman:

The issue of Section 75 debt notices and estimates are a private matter between the

scheme trustee and employers. It is the role of the scheme trustee to ensure that the

pension scheme is run properly and that members’ benefits are secure.

DWP’s 2017 Green Paper “security-and-sustainability-in-defined-benefit-pension-

schemes” assessed changing the way employer debts are calculated and the impact

this would have on members’ benefit security and remaining employers. This

assessment showed any changes would weaken members’ benefit security, whilst

placing significant additional costs on employers who would remain in the scheme. It

also showed that excluding orphan liabilities from employer debt calculations would









not necessarily resolve the issues some employers face with complying with their

employer debt obligations.

Social Security Benefits: Advisory Services

Stephen Timms: [292794]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to permit

implied consent for benefit advisers, as well as Members of Parliament, as recommended

by the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Will Quince:

Universal Credit operates in a fundamentally different way to any other benefit, The

Universal Credit system is structured around an online personal account which

contains all the information relevant to the claim. This includes their bank account

details, savings, capital, medical history, family relationships and the address and

other information about their landlord and employer. We need to ensure a high level

of security and protection to combat those unscrupulous individuals and

organisations who try to access the information we hold and seek to impersonate

genuine advisers. We need to take all reasonable steps to protect the position of

claimants and their data.

The Department is continuing to work with SSAC and third party organisations to

understand how Universal Credit can support organisations who help our claimants.

This activity will include working with claimants and their representatives to ensure

the process works effectively for vulnerable claimants to access the service.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations



the potential merits of coordinating assessments for claimants applying for universal

credit and personal independence payments.

Justin Tomlinson:

In responses to the 2016 Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability Green Paper

consultation and through several other forums, stakeholders have raised concerns

about the feeling of duplication across the current assessment processes. We have

therefore been exploring options to reduce this, and make improvements to the

customer experience. By testing the feasibility of a single assessment for

Employment and Support Allowance/Universal Credit and Personal Independence

Payment we can seek to understand if it will improve the assessment process for our

customers, and ensure that it delivers high quality and accurate outcomes. The study

is being informed by existing evidence and we have been gathering views and insight

from key stakeholders to understand the issues around implementing this.

I do consider there are merits and we announced in March 2019 that we have

launched the Health Transformation Programme to deliver a new integrated

assessment service across all health and disability benefits. This will make the



assessment process simpler, quicker, more user-friendly and more joined-up

whichever benefit people are claiming. This integrated service will still be taking

applications to individual benefits on a separate basis.

State Retirement Pensions

Ben Lake: [294230]


the effect of the 2016 changes to the state pension system on the household income of

people who have been recently bereaved.

Ben Lake: [294231]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has

made of the savings accrued to the public purse by the 2016 changes to the state

pension system, specifically in relation to the inheritance of spouses’ state pension.

Guy Opperman:

The Government published an impact assessment ‘New State pension: impact on an

individual's pension entitlement longer term effects’ in January 2016. This included

impacts on derived entitlement to the State Pension. The estimates show around 2

per cent of men and 6 per cent of women reaching State Pension age between 2016-

2020 were expected to receive less State Pension due to the withdrawal of derived

entitlement. The proportion affected falls over the first two decades of the new State

Pension. Further information on the impact of new State Pension reform on derived

entitlement is available here:


ent_data/file/491845/impact-of-new-state-pension-longer-term-reserach.pdf.

Information on the overall costs of the new State Pension (formerly the Single Tier) is

available here:


ent_data/file/311316/pensions-act-ia-annex-a-single-tier-state-pension.pdf

The cost estimates of the new State Pension do not provide a specific breakdown of

savings from the inheritance of spouses’ State Pension.

The new State Pension was introduced for people reaching State Pension age from 6

April 2016 onwards to provide a clearer, simpler and sustainable system for the future

and is based on an individual’s own National Insurance record. This both reflects

changes in society where individuals are able to build a State Pension in their own

right and a wider crediting regime that rewards periods of caring when people are

away from the labour market. There is transitional protection of the old derived basic

State Pension for women whose own contribution history was affected by taking the

option to pay reduced-rate National Insurance contributions. Transitional

arrangements also enable widowed people in certain circumstances to inherit all, or

part, of the additional State Pension or Graduated Retirement Benefit they could have

inherited under the old State Pension system.



https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/311316/pensions-act-ia-annex-a-single-tier-state-pension.pdf



A step-by-step guide to the changes to the rules on deriving and inheriting State

Pension is available on the Government website at www.gov.uk using the search

term 'state pension through partner'.

The transitional arrangements for the new State Pension have been designed to be

to fair to the greatest number of people possible and to ensure that the vast majority

of people have at least the full amount of new State Pension as quickly possible.

The new State Pension will benefit many women, carers and self-employed people,

who historically often did less well under previous systems. For example, over three

million women stand to receive an average of £550 more per year by 2030 as a result

of the recent reforms.

In addition, we are committed to the triple lock for the duration of this Parliament. In

April 2019, full amounts of the basic and new State Pensions increased by 2.6%, in

line with average earnings growth. The full yearly rate of the basic State Pension is

worth over £1,600 more in cash terms 2019/20 than it was in 2010.

Furthermore, Pension Credit provides a top up means-tested benefit for pensioners

to protect those who are most in need.

Thomas Cook: Insolvency

Mike Amesbury: [293716]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what dedicated emergency support

her Department has put in place to help and advise Thomas Cook members of staff who

have lost their jobs.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees of Thomas

Cook who have lost their jobs following the company's collapse have been offered

alternative employment opportunities as of 2 October 2019.

Mims Davies:

DWP stands ready to support anyone affected by the closure of Thomas Cook, with

our Rapid Response Service (RRS) offer. This is a redundancy service designed to

give support and advice to employers and their employees when faced with

redundancy. It is coordinated nationally by the National Employer and Partnership

Team (NEPT) and is managed by Jobcentre Plus.

The RRS has been mobilised to help people find a new job as soon as possible by

offering tailored support. Each Jobcentre Plus district deploy resources according to

the situation and the requirements of the workforce. The RRS is delivered in

partnership with a range of national and local partners, including National Careers

Service and local service providers.

NEPT have contacted several large employers and trade bodies to identify a range of

opportunities for Thomas Cook members of staff who have lost their jobs and the

Department is working closely with over 100 employers to offer support and

http://www.gov.uk/

http://www.gov.uk/



opportunities. We are delivering over 65 Job Fairs nationally, where ex-employees

can meet local employers with vacancies.

The full range of support available from Jobcentre Plus and partners includes:

• Information advice and guidance.

• Connecting people to jobs in the labour market.

• Help with job search including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and

how to apply for them.

• Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps (linked to the local labour market).

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

that will improve employability.

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

employment such as child care costs, necessary tools, work clothes, travel costs

etc.

• On-site presentations to those affected.

• Job Fairs and Job Clubs where appropriate.

Our local teams are monitoring all new claims to benefits to identify where the

claimant is an ex-employee of Thomas Cook so that they quickly receive the right

level of support.

The information requested on the number of ex-employees who have been offered

alternative employment opportunities is not available and could only be obtained at



To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to provide

pension protection for Thomas Cook staff.

Guy Opperman:

Thomas Cook schemes provide both Defined Contribution and Defined Benefit

pensions.

Defined Contribution pensions are operated independently of Thomas Cook, with

funds held separately. Pension pots will not be affected and will continue to be

invested on behalf of the members. If there are unpaid pension contributions the

Insolvency Service can make payments out of the National Insurance Fund within

specified limits.

The Thomas Cook Defined Benefit pension schemes are protected by the Pension

Protection Fund. These schemes are well funded and are able to continue to paying

out pensions to their members. The Pension Protection Fund will assess whether it

will need to take responsibility for payments in the future. Payments cannot be lower

than the level of Pension Protection Fund compensation – which is 100% of pension


for those currently above the scheme retirement age, and 90% subject to a cap for

those who are younger, but this may be higher.

The trustees of the Defined Benefit pension schemes are in touch with members. The

Pension Protection Fund has provided contact details if members have questions.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: [293422]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has

made of the number of (a) delays and (b) errors in universal credit awards as a result of

(ii) inaccurate in Real Time Information and (iii) differences in the operating systems used

by (A) her Department and (B) HMRC; and if she will make a statement.

Will Quince:

The Department has been working closely with HMRC since Universal Credit went

live in 2013 to support and inform employers who report earnings to emphasise the

importance of timely reporting via the Real Time Information (RTI) system.

HMRC have updated their guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of

reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles; the Financial Secretary

to the Treasury is also working closely with HMRC and employers to do this.

Frank Field: [293470]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 30

September to Question 290673 on Universal Credit, whether a reduction in the monthly

repayments of a court fine from 40 per cent to a lower amount will return to the 40 per

cent rate in the following month if a person has no other deductions attached to a

universal credit claim.

Will Quince:

Our deductions policy strikes a fair balance between a claimant’s need to meet their

obligations and a claimant’s ability to ensure they can meet their day-to-day needs.

From October 2019, deductions will be capped at 30% of a claimant’s standard

allowance down from 40% to better achieve this balance.

In the scenario outlined, if a person has no other deductions, the most that would be

deducted for a court fine in the following assessment period is £108.35. This is

because the maximum deduction for court fines is based on a fixed figure in

regulations rather than a percentage. If the £108.35 figure were more than 30% of the

claimant’s standard allowance, the deduction would be reduced to 5% of the standard

allowance, ensuring the 30% cap was not exceeded. The policy was designed to

deduct either the minimum or maximum set out in regulations and avoid

inconsistencies that may arise if discretion was to be exercised for each claimant’s

deduction.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions her Department

has had with social landlords on rent arrears caused by the time between a claimant’s




universal credit being paid and the housing costs being sent to the landlord via APA on

the next bulk payment run.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to

introduce any-day payment of housing costs via APA to avoid delays between the

tenant’s universal credit payment date and the next bulk payment of housing costs to

landlords.

Will Quince:

Initial analytical work we have carried out with a single housing provider suggests that

many tenants are arriving on Universal Credit with pre-existing rent arrears,

supporting research carried out by the National Federation of ALMOs which shows

over three quarters of their tenants come onto Universal Credit with pre-existing rent

arrears. It also shows that arrears tend to increase prior to making a claim for

Universal Credit, and that Universal Credit actually appears to be helping to clear

arrears over time. We are currently extending this analysis to include a number of

housing providers. It will be published when completed.

The Department encourages all Universal Credit claimants to actively consider how

best to manage their personal budget which includes making their own rent payments

to landlords, with additional advice and support available from work coaches and

case managers where needed. We regularly engage with a range of stakeholders,

including landlords, to ensure we understand concerns which helps us to design

improvements to Universal Credit.

Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs), such as a managed payment to landlord

(MPTL), are available to enable the housing costs element to be paid directly to the

landlord if the tenant is likely to have difficulty in managing their rent payments or is in

rent arrears. APAs will only be considered where a lack of financial capability poses a

risk to the claimant, or their family, and the decision to implement one is assessed on

a case by case basis.

The Department issues a schedule of payments to Social Rented Sector (SRS)

landlords, and our Third Party Creditor system - currently used to pay SRS landlords

- uses a 28-day payment cycle. We are currently working with a range of landlords to

design, develop and test a better services with the intention of having a solution in

place by the end of this year.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the

cost of increasing the child element of the universal credit payment by (a) £10 a week

and (b) 70 per cent; and how many children would be taken out of poverty as a result of

each.

Will Quince:

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur





To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the most recent annual

estimate is of the cost of ending the two child limit for universal credit between now and

2033/34.

Will Quince:

No assessment has been made up to 2033/34, however we estimate that the cost of

ending this policy to be around £5bn up to 23/24.

The Government’s view is that providing support for a maximum of two children or

qualifying young persons in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit ensures fairness

between claimants on the one hand and, on the other, those taxpayers who support

themselves solely through work. Where they are able to, Individuals should consider

whether they are financially prepared to support a new child without relying on

benefits.

We recognise that some claimants are not able to make the same choices about the

number of children in their family, which is why exceptions have been put in place to

protect certain groups. On migration to Universal Credit families’ existing entitlement

will be protected, so long as they remain responsible for the same children and

entitled to benefit.

Mark Tami: [294681]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether universal credit claimants

who are eligible for (a) new style employment and support allowance and (b) new style

jobseeker's allowance who would receive more money from one of those benefits than

from universal credit are able to have their award backdated to when they made their

claim.

Justin Tomlinson:

Universal Credit replaces six benefits with one, to simplify the system and make work

pay. As a result, people claiming Universal Credit move into work faster, stay in work

longer and spend more time looking to increase their earnings. Universal Credit also

provides more help with childcare costs, a dedicated Work Coach and scraps the 16,

24 and 30 hour ‘cliff edges’.

Under the legacy system £2.4 billion of welfare benefits did not get paid at all

because claimants could not navigate the complexity of the system. Universal Credit

is putting this right, ensuring this money goes to 700,000 claimants who need it.

Claims may be backdated, by up to one calendar month, in limited circumstances for

vulnerable claimants who may be delayed in claiming Universal Credit through no

fault of their own. Claims may also be backdated in specific circumstances when a

couple separates to ensure that there is no gap in entitlement between the couple

claim and the new claim made by a single claimant.

For new style Employment and Support Allowance, a claimant has three months

following the qualifying date to claim.



The Department provides benefit eligibility information to help people make decisions

surrounding benefits to which they may be entitled, along with details about how to

claim them. This is available through Jobcentre Plus offices and via the GOV.UK

website.

Universal Credit: Fraud

Ruth George: [290461]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the legal basis is for her

Department to ask claimants who are victims of third-party universal credit fraud to attend

an interview under caution at a Jobcentre rather than provide a witness statement.

Guy Opperman:

[Holding answer 30 September 2019]: The new process for advances and

identification introduced on the 18 September 2019 mean that the level of UC

advances fraud will be mitigated. Where an individual is a victim of fraud and

received no money personally, no claim will be made against them. However, it is

often not possible to ascertain the facts without an Interview Under Caution. The

powers for an Interview Under Caution are under the Social Security Administration

Act 1992, Part VI, governs this process and has been followed by successive

governments of different political persuasions.

DWP will ask, and allow the individual to have the opportunity to respond to any

evidence in a voluntary Interview Under Caution.

DWP follows the guidance laid down in the Criminal Procedures and Investigations

Act 1996 and the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (Code C 2014) to afford the

claimant all appropriate protection in law.

Universal Credit: Scotland


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has

made of the effect of the time taken for universal credit payments to be made to claimants

on trends in the level of food bank use in Scotland.

Will Quince:

The Department does not keep official statistics on food bank use, so no such

assessment has been completed. Some food aid providers produce statistics on the

number of food parcels distributed, but the Government has no plans to require

individual food banks to keep records as this would place a significant burden on

charitable and voluntary organisations.

We have listened to feedback on how we can improve Universal Credit to support our

claimants and acted quickly, making improvements such as extending advances,

removing waiting days, and introducing housing benefit run on. These changes are

giving support to vulnerable people who need it most, whilst at the same time helping

people get into work faster.



Furthermore, in Scotland, the Department delivers Universal Credit Scottish choices

on behalf of the Scottish Government, providing the option of Universal Credit being

paid twice a month rather than monthly, and having Universal Credit housing element

being paid directly to landlords.

Welfare Assistance Schemes


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department

has made of the effect of the decision to abolish the Discretionary Social Fund and

replace it with local welfare assistance schemes has had on the ability of people

experiencing a financial crisis to access monetary support.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has

departmental responsibility for local welfare assistance schemes.

Will Quince:

Local welfare assistance is an umbrella term used describe local authority provision

for people who are in need of urgent help. Local authorities’ abilities to act in this area

are provided under various powers, for example, section 2 of the Local Government

Act 2000 enables local authorities to provide financial assistance to any individual.

Since the reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 which abolished Crisis Loans and

Community Care Grants, the Local Government Financial Settlement has included a

notional amount relating to local welfare provision in each upper-tier and unitary

authority’s general grant. The settlement for 2015-16 set this amount at £129.6

million for England in each year until 2019/20.

The Department for Work and Pension's (DWP) 2014 review found that local

authorities delivered support more effectively than the previous provision and that

councils are best placed to decide how to target flexible help to support local welfare

needs. The Government has no further plans to review provision.

Welfare Assistance Schemes: Families and Young People

Scott Mann: [293657]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department

provides to local authorities to ensure the provision of (a) local welfare assistance and (b)

other services to (i) families and (ii) young people in crisis.

Will Quince:

The Welfare Reform Act 2012 abolished Social Fund Crisis Loans and Community

Grants from April 2013. The funding was passed over to local authorities in England

and devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales on a non-ringfenced basis, and

with no statutory duties attached.

DWP provides a network of around 300 specialised work coaches for the cross

government Troubled Families Programme. These Troubled Families Employment




Advisers (TFEAs) support families across all local authority areas in England,

providing tailored, one to one employment and welfare support. TFEAs also upskill

local authorities and partners on employment matters.

DWP is working with all top tier local authorities in England to help them to address

parental conflict, which can harm children’s outcomes. 98% of local authorities have

taken up our offer of training for frontline practitioners and support for strategic

leaders, to increase local capability in addressing parental conflict.

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS


Business

Maria Eagle: [290689]


meetings (a) Ministers and (b) Officials in her Department have had with businesses in

the (i) automotive (ii) pharmaceutical (iii) retail and food sector businesses about the

impact of leaving the EU without a deal on their businesses; and if she will make a

statement.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 4 October 2019. The correct

answer should have been:

Kelly Tolhurst:

Ministers and officials have regular engagement with a large number of businesses

across all sectors, including from the automotive, pharmaceutical and retail and food

sectors, to ensure they are prepared for the UK leaving the EU on the 31st October.

Ministers have hosted a regular series of roundtables both in Westminster and

around the UK in recent months, where they have had the chance to speak to and

hear directly from a wide range of businesses both large and small.

In order to help business prepare for exiting the EU on 31 October, the Government

have come together to deliver a new series of 'One HMG' events, starting from

Monday 16 September to 18 October. These roadshows will bring together expertise

from across departments including BEIS, the Home Office, HMRC, DIT, DEFRA and

DCMS, and combine interactive support and in-depth advice sessions to help

business from all sectors and of all sizes get ready for Brexit. In addition to this, on 11 th September, officials held an EU Exit Readiness forum with over 250 companies

participating many of which were retailers.

A £10m £15m Business Readiness Fund for business organisations and trade

associations will support businesses in preparing for a ‘No Deal’ Brexit ahead of 31

October 2019.


Fishing Gear


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

has made of the amount of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear from UK and

foreign fishing fleets around the UK coastline.





Rebecca Pow:

Abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is estimated to

comprise 40 – 70% of man-made waste in the ocean measured by weight.

Ascertaining the extent of the ALDFG that ends up in UK waters faces a number of

challenges, including the movement of ALDFG with ocean currents. One of the best

indicators is the Marine Conservation Society’s beach clean data, which indicate that

fishing-related litter is amongst the ten most prevalent items recorded on UK

beaches.

Defra recognises addressing ALDFG as a key priority. We are an active member of

the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI): a pioneering and cross-cutting initiative that

engages with communities around the world to collaboratively address the problem.

The UK Government has provided funding to the GGGI to conduct bespoke

workshops with stakeholders to raise awareness and train fishers in sustainable best

practice.


Accident and Emergency Departments: Standards



the number of patients that waited longer than four hours in A&E in (a) 2009-10 and (b)

2018-19.



Edward Argar:

In 2009-10 there were 20,511,908 attendances of which 353,617 patients waited

longer than four hours in accident and emergency.

In 2018-19 there were 24,826,981 attendances of which 2,976,112 people waited

more than four hours but in the face of rising demand, over 4,315,000 1,692,578

more patients were seen within four hours compared to 2009-10.

Health Services: Per Capita Costs


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what allocation per capita was

made by his Department in respect of clinical commissioning group (CCG) services in (a)

each CCG in York and North Yorkshire, (b) each region of England and (c) England in

each year since 2015 (i) in cash terms and (ii) at constant prices.





Edward Argar:

In respect of clinical commissioning group (CCG) services, per capita Yorkshire and

the Humber CCGs’ allocations for 2015/16 onwards are shown in the attached table.

CCG allocation announcements for 2015 onwards, including the breakdown by region

of England and total for England in real terms can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/

Attachments:

1. 20190930 PQ290952 - Yorkshire and the Humber per Capita Allocations Table - V2.xlsx

HOME OFFICE

City of London Police: Action Fraud


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

of the effectiveness of the management of Action Fraud by the City of London Police.



Brandon Lewis:















The City of London Police undertake a national lead force role for the investigation of

serious and complex fraud cases. The Home Office remains committed to improving

the law enforcement response to fraud. That is why we requested that Her Majesty’s

Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) conduct a

thematic inspection on fraud, including Action Fraud, and set out measures for

improving the response to fraud in our Economic Crime Plan, which was published in

July. The City of London Police (as the National Lead Force for fraud) is currently

implementing recommendations within HMICFRS’ inspection report, which was

published on 2nd April.




The scale and complexity of the threat from serious and organised crime means that

we need to do more to develop our response. The Government therefore recently

announced a formal review to identify the powers, capabilities, governance and

funding needed in response to this threat.

Knives: Crime



holds in relation to perpetrators of crimes using sharp objects and (a) time spent in Pupil

Referral Units, (b) housing status and (c) employment status.



Kit Malthouse:

As set out in the Government’s Serious Violence Strategy, there are a number of risk

and protective factors for involvement in serious violence, some of which relate to

background or personal circumstances. The Home Office does not, however,

routinely collect information about whether those who are charged with, or convicted

of, offences involving sharp objects have spent time in a Pupil Referral Unit or about

their housing and employment status.

The Home Office does not routinely collect information about whether those who are

charged with, or convicted of, offences involving sharp objects have spent time in a

Pupil Referral Unit or about their housing and employment status.

Leicestershire Police: Recruitment

Keith Vaz: [284695]


Minister's statement of 24 July 2019, if her Department will estimate the number of new

police officer posts that will be established by Leicestershire Police by 2022.



Kit Malthouse:


over the next three years. We are committed to giving police the resources, tools and

powers they need to tackle the scourge of crime.




3000 additional officers in 2019/20. The recruitment of 20,000 officers announced by






support the police and give them extra resource to protect the public and keep us all

safe.


working closely with police leaders to put in place the plans and systems to deliver on

our commitment. Police budgets and force level funding will be set out in the usual

way at the provisional police settlement.

On 31 March 2019, Leicester police force had 1,829 police officers, and increase of

2.9% from March 2018.

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Smallholdings



many local authorities have sold off (a) all and (b) more than 50 per cent of council

smallholdings since 1997.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 3 May 2019. The correct


Kit Malthouse:

This information is not held centrally.Records held by the Department for

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show that in 1997 a total area of

119,977 hectares was held for smallholdings purposes by local authorities in

England. Data on land held for smallholdings purposes by individual local authorities

in 1997 is unavailable. A recent report published by Defra records that, at 31 March

2018, the total area of land held by 43 reporting smallholdings authorities in England

was 89,020 hectares (for the whole estate), of which 83,600 hectares were let as

smallholdings (for 40 reporting authorities).

JUSTICE

Fines: Surcharges


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much money has been raised by the

Victims Surchage in each year since 2010.





Robert Buckland Lucy Frazer:

Income from the Victim Surcharge contributes to the Ministry of Justices’ Victim and

Witness Budget (“the Budget”). This budget is used to fund Police and Crime

Commissioners (PCCs) who commission local support services for victims, and

nationally commissioned support services including the National Homicide Service,

Rape Support Centres, and the Court Based Witness Service. Income from the

Victim Surcharge is forecast into the Budget at the beginning of each financial year.

However, actual income raised from the Surcharge will fluctuate each year

(depending on the amount imposed and collection rates). Should revenue raised from

the Surcharge go above the forecast amount, the excess is put towards

compensating victims through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

Overall amounts are set out in the table below:

FINANCIAL YEAR

VICTIM SURCHARGE

(VS) COLLECTED *[1]

VS CONTRIBUTION TO

THE VICTIM AND

WITNESS BUDGET*

OVERALL VICTIM AND

WITNESS BUDGET*

2010/11 £1 1 0 m £1 1 0 m £48m

2011/12 £10m £10m £48m

2012/13 £1 1 0 m £1 1 0 m £50m

2013/14 £ 20 19 m £ 20 19 m £57m

2014/15 £2 5 4 m £2 5 4 m £86m

2015/16 £28m £18m £92m

2016/17 £31m £2 7 6 m £96m

2017/18 £35m £31m £97m

*The amounts listed in the table have been rounded to the nearest £1 0 m.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much money from the Victims Surcharge

has been allocated to charities supporting victims in each year since 2010.



Robert Buckland Lucy Frazer:

Income from the Victim Surcharge contributes to the Ministry of Justices’ Victim and

Witness Budget (“the Budget”). This budget is used to fund Police and Crime

Commissioners (PCCs) who commission local support services for victims, and

nationally commissioned support services including the National Homicide Service,

Rape Support Centres, and the Court Based Witness Service. Income from the

Victim Surcharge is forecast into the Budget at the beginning of each financial year.


However, actual income raised from the Surcharge will fluctuate each year

(depending on the amount imposed and collection rates). Should revenue raised from

the Surcharge go above the forecast amount, the excess is put towards

compensating victims through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

Overall amounts are set out in the table below:

FINANCIAL YEAR

VICTIM SURCHARGE

(VS) COLLECTED *[1]

VS CONTRIBUTION TO

THE VICTIM AND

WITNESS BUDGET*

OVERALL VICTIM AND

WITNESS BUDGET*

2010/11 £1 1 0 m £1 1 0 m £48m

2011/12 £10m £10m £48m

2012/13 £1 1 0 m £1 1 0 m £50m

2013/14 £ 20 19 m £ 20 19 m £57m

2014/15 £2 5 4 m £2 5 4 m £86m

2015/16 £28m £18m £92m

2016/17 £31m £2 7 6 m £96m

2017/18 £35m £31m £97m

*The amounts listed in the table have been rounded to the nearest £1 0 m.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Brexit: Northern Ireland


To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had

with the Irish Government on alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border on the

island of Ireland when the UK leaves the EU.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 9 September 2019. The

correct answer should have been:

Julian Smith:


Prorogation.

I have regular discussions with the Irish Government concerning the UK's exit from

the EU.


International Cooperation: Republic of Ireland


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

Irish Government on enhanced east-west cooperation between the UK and the Irish

Republic when the UK leaves the EU.



Julian Smith:


Prorogation.

I have regular discussions with the Irish Government concerning the UK's exit from

the EU.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: [286149]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking

as part of its planning for the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal to increase

the number of officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland in line with the recent

request by its Chief Constable; and if he will make a statement.



Julian Smith:


Prorogation.

Policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and operational capability is a

matter for the Chief Constable. The PSNI’s main budget is allocated by the

Department of Justice from the Northern Ireland block grant.

The UK Government has provided the PSNI with the additional security funding it

has asked for and needs to ensure that they have the resource (including officers) to

tackle the SEVERE threat from Northern Ireland related terrorism (NIRT). This

additional security funding boosts PSNI’s ability to tackle the terrorist threat while

ensuring day-to-day policing isn’t compromised.

PSNI received £230m additional security funding in the last parliament and £160m in

this one. In addition, the UK Government has provided PSNI with over £16.5m to help

prepare for EU exit. This funding from the UK Government will continue to support

PSNI to address the wider security pressures and contingencies arising from the



NIRT threat and EU exit preparations and will enable PSNI to recruit 206 additional

officers this financial year.

TRANSPORT

Roads: Suffolk


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had

with Suffolk county council on the Ipswich northern route since 1 January 2019.



George Freeman:

Since 1 January 2019, the Department has liaised with Suffolk County Council to

support them in developing the evidence required to facilitate a thorough and efficient

assessment of the proposed scheme. This has included analytical support to scheme

promoters, in advance of Transport East submitting the scheme proposal to the

Department on the County Council’s behalf in July 2019, and following this

submission.

Department for Transport officials have had regular discussions with Suffolk County

Council regarding the Ipswich Northern Route since January 1 2019. As well as

regular engagement, the Department has offered analytical support to all scheme

promoters as part of the Major Road Network (MRN) and Large Local Majors (LLM)

programme.


WRITTEN STATEMENTS


Energy Council, September 2019

Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth (Kwasi Kwarteng):

[HCWS1854]

The UK did not attend the EU Energy Council in Brussels on 24 September 2019.

The UK Government has decided that from 1 September until exit day, UK Ministers and

officials will only attend EU meetings where the UK has a significant national interest in

the outcome of the discussions.

Energy Planning Project

Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth (Kwasi Kwarteng):

[HCWS1852]

This statement concerns an application made by Orsted Hornsea Project Three (UK)

Limited under the Planning Act 2008 for development consent for the construction and

operation of the proposed Hornsea Three offshore wind farm and associated offshore

and onshore infrastructure in the North Sea and in Norfolk.

Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make a

decision on an application within three months of receipt of the Examining Authority’s

report unless exercising the power under section 107(3) to set a new deadline. Where a

new deadline is set, the Secretary of State must make a Statement to Parliament to

announce it. The deadline for the decision on the proposed Hornsea Three Offshore

Wind Farm Development Consent Order application was 2 October 2019.

The Secretary of State has set a new deadline for deciding the application of 31 March

2020 to allow further information in respect of offshore environmental effects to be

provided and considered. The decision to set the new deadline for the application is

without prejudice to the Secretary of State’s decision on whether to ultimately grant or

refuse development consent.

Post- Council Statement: Competitiveness Council 26th -27th September 2019

Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation (Chris

Skidmore): [HCWS1853]

My noble friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Climate Change

(Lord Duncan of Springbank ) has today made the following statement:

The UK did not attend the Competitiveness Council in Brussels on 26th and 27th

September 2019

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-10-08/HCWS1854/





The UK Government has decided that from 1st September until exit day, UK Ministers

and officials will only attend EU meetings where the UK has a significant national interest

in the outcome of the discussions.


October Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (George Eustice):

[HCWS1851]

Agriculture and Fisheries Council takes place in Luxembourg on 14-15 October.

As the provisional agenda stands, the main item for fisheries will be fixing the fishing

opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2020. Member States will also discuss the Regulation

on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) for which a preliminary agreement

on the proposal, a partial general approach (PGA), is sought in Council. Ministers will

also exchange views on the annual EU-Norway consultation for 2020 and on the 22nd

annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

(ICCAT), which will be held in Palma de Mallorca on 18-25 November 2019.

In the field of agriculture the main focus will be the state of play on the Common

Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform package. Member States will also exchange views on

the EU Forest Strategy post-2020 followed by a presentation by the Commission and an

exchange of views on stepping up EU action to protect and restore the world’s forests.

The Commission will also brief Member States on the market situation.

There are currently five items scheduled under ‘any other business’:

• The Presidency will brief Ministers on the outcome of the European Bioeconomy

Scene 2019, which was held in Helsinki on 8-10 July;

• The Slovenian delegation will brief on the outcome of the Ministerial conference

“Strengthening the Generation and Transfer of Knowledge for the Progress of

Agriculture and the Rural Areas”, which took place in Ptuj, Slovenia on 23 August

2019;

• The Italian delegation will provide information on the serious damages caused by

the Asian stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) to the fruit and vegetables sector;

• The Commission will give a state of play on African Swine fever; and

• The Commission will provide a state of play on the major issues within food

safety.




Update on continuity of medical supplies

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock): [HCWS1856]

This Statement provides an update on my Department’s plans to support the continuity of

supply of medicines and medical products into the UK if we leave the EU without a deal

on 31 October.

The multi-layered approach put in place by my Department remains essential to help

ensure the continuation of medicines and medical supplies across the UK if we leave

without a deal. An update on the six components is below.

My Department is today writing to pharmaceutical companies, medical device

manufacturers and the Adult Social Care sector. As part of working closely with the

Devolved Administrations (DAs) and Crown Dependencies, communications will also be

shared with healthcare providers across the scope of the programme.

1. Improving trader readiness for new border arrangements

Companies need to ensure they are “trader ready” for the new customs procedures

involved with importing and exporting goods that will come into place if we leave the EU

without a deal. To support industry in their preparations, I am today announcing that,

following engagement and feedback with trade associations, suppliers and distributors,

the Government is establishing a dedicated trader readiness ‘Support Unit’ to provide

assistance to suppliers of medical goods. These teams of specialists will be able to

provide traders operating in the health and social care sector with up-to-date advice and

practical guidance on the steps they need to take to prepare. Details on how to access

the Support Unit are being communicated to industry today.

1. Building up buffer stocks

My Department’s approach to buffer stocks remains unchanged from 26 June and

involves a range of national measures and asks of industry that are designed to provide

contingent measures for medicines, medical devices and clinical consumables, blood and

transplants, vaccines and countermeasures, supplies for clinical trials and non-clinical

goods and services.

1. Procuring extra warehousing space for stockpiled medicines

To help ensure sufficient space to store stockpiled medicines ahead of Brexit on 31

October if we were to leave without a deal, my Department previously agreed contracts

for additional warehouse space, including ambient, refrigerated and controlled drug

storage. We will continue to provide warehousing capacity.

1. Securing freight capacity

The Department for Transport-led cross-government procurement for securing freight

capacity by 31 October is progressing as planned. On 20 September, as announced by

the Secretary of State for Transport, eight companies were successfully appointed to the

freight procurement framework. These include ferry operators Brittany Ferries, DFDS A/S,


Irish Ferries, P&O Ferries, Seatruck and Stena, as well as operators from the aviation

and rail industries, Air Charter Services and Eurotunnel.

Also, on 20 September, DfT launched two call-off mini-competitions, which set out the

Government’s freight requirements in preparation for leaving the EU. These provided

freight operators on the framework the opportunity to bid for contracts to transport

medicines and medical products – and other category 1 goods – into the UK in a no-deal

scenario. The deadline for framework suppliers to submit bids was 1 October. Subject to

evaluation, contracts with successful freight operators to provide capacity on specific

routes will be agreed shortly. Once known, Government will inform industry of the details

as soon as possible. In advance of this, the Department is today inviting suppliers of

medicines and medical goods to register to access this freight capacity.

My Department is also leading a procurement for an ‘express freight service’ to provide

access to an end-to-end solution for medical products to deliver small parcel

consignments and pallets. This is designed to be used only if suppliers’ own contingency

measures encounter difficulties or there is an emergency need for specific medical

products. The bid response window for this procurement has now closed and we are

currently reviewing the bids. Again, my Department is looking to award the contract(s) as

soon as possible.

1. Changing or clarifying regulatory requirements

So that companies can continue to sell their products in the UK even if we leave without a

deal, the Government has made changes to, or clarifications of, certain regulatory

requirements. Statutory instruments, covering the regulation of human medicines,

medical devices and clinical trials were considered and approved by Parliament.

1. Strengthening the processes and resources used to deal with shortages

In addition to the normal shortage management routes, my Department has also put in

place legislation to enable Ministers to issue serious shortage protocols that, where

appropriate, enables community pharmacies to supply against a protocol, for example, to

issue a substitute medication instead of the prescribed medication without going back to

the prescriber first.

My Department will again be standing up a National Supply Disruption Response

(NSDR). The NSDR processes will monitor the supply situation and co-ordinate actions to

address supply disruption incidents that occur after Brexit where normal procedures are

unable to provide a resolution.

Message to NHS and the public

Our message to the NHS, the adult social care sector, patients and the wider public

remains unchanged.

My Department, working with partners across government, industry, the health and social

care system, Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies, is putting in place

these arrangements to protect medical supplies from any potential disruption if we leave

without a deal for the whole of the UK and its Crown Dependencies, so that service

providers, patients and members of the public do not have to take action themselves.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/critical-goods-for-government-secured-freight-capacity

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/critical-goods-for-government-secured-freight-capacity

Local or personal stockpiling remains unnecessary and could cause shortages in other

areas, which could put patient care at risk. It is important that patients keep taking their

medicines and order their repeat prescriptions as normal.

As the NAO’s recent report recognised, the scale of the challenge has been

unprecedented and the Department, working with pharmaceutical companies and

medical device manufacturers, has already achieved a great deal in preparing for leaving

the EU, whatever the circumstances. I am confident that the Department is doing

everything appropriate to prepare for leaving without a deal on the 31 October.

HOME OFFICE

Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (1 June 2019 to 31 August 2019)

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Priti Patel): [HCWS1855]

Section 19(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011 (the Act)

requires the Secretary of State to report to Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable

after the end of every relevant three-month period on the exercise of her TPIM powers

under the Act during that period.

The level of information provided will always be subject to slight variations based on

operational advice.

TPIM NOTICES IN FORCE (AS OF 31 AUGUST

2019) 3

TPIM notices in respect of British citizens (as

of 31 August 2019)

3

TPIM notices extended (during the reporting

period)

1

TPIM notices revoked (during the reporting

period)

0

TPIM notices revived (during the reporting

period)

0

Variations made to measures specified in

TPIM notices (during the reporting period)

4

Applications to vary measures specified in

TPIM notices refused (during the reporting

period)

0

The number of current subjects relocated

under TPIM legislation (as of 31 August 2019)

1

https://www.nao.org.uk/report/exiting-the-eu-supplying-the-health-and-social-care-sectors/

https://www.nao.org.uk/report/exiting-the-eu-supplying-the-health-and-social-care-sectors/


The TPIM Review Group (TRG) keeps every TPIM notice under regular and formal

review. Third quarter TRG meetings took place on 4 and 18 September 2019 and 1

October 2019.

The Section 9 TPIM Act 2011 judicial review of the TPIM against QT was heard at the

High Court between 24 and 27 June 2019. The judgment in this review is yet to be

handed down by the Court.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Trade Update

Secretary of State for International Trade (Elizabeth Truss): [HCWS1850]

Today I am informing the House about updates to the Temporary Tariff Regime

announced in March. This regime would come into effect if the UK leaves the EU without

a deal on 31 October 2019.

The temporary tariff would apply equally to all countries where the UK does not have a

trade agreement or other preferential agreement in place - this would include the EU.

The policy announced in March, and updated today, is designed with

consumers and producers in mind. The majority of imports will be tariff free, with

tariffs only applying on a small percentage of UK imports. The Government has

listened to the concerns and needs of businesses and consumers since the Temporary

Tariff Regime was first announced and has made three specific amendments to the tariff

rates published in March.

• Lower tariffs on HGVs entering the UK market, striking a better balance between

the needs of British producers and the SMEs that make up the UK haulage

industry, ensuring that crucial fleet replacement programmes that help to lower

carbon emissions can continue.

• Adjusted tariffs on bioethanol to retain support for UK producers, as the supply of

this fuel is important to critical national infrastructure.

• Applied tariffs to additional clothing products to ensure the preferential access to

the UK market currently available to developing countries (compared to other

countries) is maintained.

These three specific amendments will enable UK supply chains to continue to operate

smoothly, keep prices down for consumers and ensure that we are fully prepared to leave

the EU on 31 October whatever the circumstances.

In considering adjustments to the temporary tariff, the Government has continued to give

regard to the five principles set out in the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018:

• the interests of consumers in the UK;

• the interests of producers in the UK;

• the desire to maintain and promote external trade of the UK;


• the desire to maintain and promote productivity in the UK;

• the extent to which goods are subject to competition.

Throughout the temporary period, the Government will also consider exceptional changes

where clear evidence is provided by stakeholders against the criteria set out in the

Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 and would provide a mechanism to hear

business and consumer feedback.

The Government aims, where possible, to minimise any new costs to business and

mitigate any price impacts on consumers. For that reason, tariffs will only apply to 12% of

total UK imports but there will need to be tariffs on some imports to make sure certain

industries get the support they need.

This remains a temporary policy that would apply for a period of up to 12 months in the

event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 October.

Information on specific tariff rates that would apply under the temporary tariff have been

made available through the Government website.

TREASURY

Economy Update

The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sajid Javid): [HCWS1857]

A meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will be held in

Luxembourg on 10 October 2019. The Council will discuss the following:

Budgetary Instrument for Convergence and Competitiveness for the Euro Area The

European Commission will present the governance framework on the budgetary

instrument for convergence and competitiveness for the euro area.

Current Financial Services Legislative Proposals The Finnish Presidency will provide

an update on current legislative proposals in the field of financial services.

European Court of Auditors’ Annual Report The President of the Court of Auditors will

present the Auditors’ report on the implementation of the budget of the European Union

for the 2018 financial year.

The European Financial Architecture for Development The chair of the high-level

group of wise persons on the European financial architecture for development will present

the main findings of their report to the Council. This will be followed by an exchange of

views.

Implementation of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Action Plan The Council will

hold an exchange of views on the progress made in implementing the AML Action Plan

and consider the future strategic priorities in this area.

Anti-Money Laundering Directive: Policy towards "high-risk third countries" The

Council will hold an exchange of views on the policy towards AML-related "high-risk third

countries".


European Semester 2019 – Lessons Learnt The Council will hold an exchange of

views on lessons learnt from the European Semester 2019.

Preparation of the G20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors

and of the IMF Annual Meetings The Council will be invited to approve the EU’s G20

Terms of Reference and International Monetary and Financial Committee Statement,

ahead of the Annual Meetings in Washington DC.

Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action The Finnish will present the state of

play of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action.

Appointment of a Member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank

The Council will be invited to adopt a recommendation to the European Council on the

appointment of a new member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank.

Capital Markets Union The Commission will inform the Council on its plans on the

Capital Markets Union and the Presidency will outline next steps.

Status of the Implementation of Financial Services Legislation The Council will take

stock of the status of the implementation of financial services legislation.

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