Written answers

Tuesday, 19 April 2016

  • Department for Transport

    • Gatwick Airport: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the number of households eligible for the property compensation scheme proposed by Gatwick Airport Limited...

    • London Airports: Noise

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what operational mitigation measures have been proposed by (a) Heathrow Airport Limited and (b) Gatwick Airport Limited to reduce the effect of...

      Driverless Vehicles: Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps will be taken to ensure the safety of driverless cars.

      Driverless Cars: Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the introduction of driverless cars on UK roads on levels of insurance premiums.

      Department for Transport: Resignations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

      Transport: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's current projections are for Government annual spending on the (a) Cycle City Ambition Grant, (b) Bikeability cycle training, (c)...

      Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to (a) announce the criteria and (b) begin the bidding process for allocating the funding available through the Pothole Action Fund.

      Walking: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy consultation document does not contain measureable targets for walking.

      Fuels: Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by what methodology his Department measures the proportion of UK transport using renewable fuels.

      Cycling and Walking: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cycling and walking projects will be funded annually by the (a) Government's £80 million five-year Access Fund and (b) Local Sustainable...

      Gatwick Airport: Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the suitability of alternative travel options for passengers and employees travelling to and from Gatwick Airport in...

      Taxis: Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the safety of users of private hire vehicles.

      Roads: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) his Department and (b) Highways England are improving their assessments of user satisfaction in relation to...

      Shipping: Polar Regions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on Scotland of the planned implementation of the Polar Code.

      Driving: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many full driving licences have been issued to people in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) the city of Glasgow in the last 10 years.

      Maritime and Coastguard Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) merchant ships, (b) fishing vessels, (c) Port State Control and (d) other vessel surveys were conducted by Maritime and Coastguard Agency...

      Maritime and Coastguard Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) seafarers, (b) ship operators and (c) ship owners used each Marine Office in the UK in each year since 2009-10.

      Maritime and Coastguard Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many members of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's Survey and Inspection team are based at the Marine Offices in (a) Tyne, (b) Plymouth, (c)...

      Maritime and Coastguard Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the projected savings accruing to the public purse are from the proposed closure of the Marine Offices in (a) Tyne and (b) Plymouth in 2017; and...

      Office of Rail and Road

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) salary, (b) bonus and (c) pension arrangements are of the current interim Chief Executive of the Office for Rail and Road.

      Thameslink Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of Govia Thameslink's ability to safely transport disabled passengers; and if he will make a statement.

      Thameslink Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to make travel on the Thameslink line more accessible for disabled passengers.

      Volkswagen

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions has he had with Volkswagen on the timeframe that has been agreed to complete software and technical fixes for all its UK consumers.

      Travel: Visual Impairment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the travel experiences of blind and partially sighted people; and if he will make a statement.

      M1

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the potholes on the northbound carriageway of the M1 motorway between junctions 10 and 11 to be repaired and the carriageway...

      West Coast Railway Line: Eddisbury

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the West Coast Mainline through Eddisbury has been realigned due to subsidence or other geographical movement in the last five years;...

      Motorcycles: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the causes of the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured in (a) London and (b) England outside London.

      Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and which (a) ministers and (b) officials he plans will represent the UK at the International Maritime Organisation conference on controlling...

      Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking in preparation for the International Civil Aviation Organisation meeting in autumn 2016 to ensure an agreement for controlling...

      East Coast Railway Line: Franchises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has received representations from Virgin Trains or Stagecoach since 1 April 2015 on potential variations to the current...

      Railways: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Enhancements Delivery Plan Update, published in March 2016, page 138, whether Network Rail carried out an equality impact...

      Cycling: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2016 to Question 29382, how many Bikeability training places his Department funded in each school year between...

      Railways: Per Capita Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2015 to Question 7811, if he will update the table provided in that Answer to include figures for 2014-15 and 2015-16.

      Level Crossings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2015 to Question 13923, what recent progress his Department has made on issuing a public consultation on...

  • Home Office

    • Refugees: Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the total cost of resettling refugees from Syria in each of the next five years; and if she will...

    • Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people of each nationality are awaiting deportation.

      Deportation: EEA Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2016 to Question 31329, on deportation: EU nationals, what the nationality is of the EEA foreign national...

      Asylum: Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's policy is on ensuring that Afghan interpreters who have assisted British troops are able to claim asylum in the UK;...

      Domestic Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding her Department has allocated to fund support for victims of domestic abuse in each of the next five years; and if she will make...

      Teachers: Migrant Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the Shortage Occupation List to ensure that the £35,000 earnings threshold for tier 2 visa holders does not lead to...

      Immigrants: Detainees

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much compensation her Department paid for the unlawful detention of individuals under immigration powers in each of the last three...

      Breast Ironing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent the practice of breast ironing in UK communities.

      Inquiries

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many restriction (a) notices and (b) orders her Department has issued to restrict inquiries under (i) section 19(1)(a) and (ii) section...

      Asylum: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons take charge requests under the Dublin regulations have been refused since April 2015.

      Asylum: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what offers of support the Government has received from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees for the processing of take charge...

      Asylum: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many take charge requests under each article of the Dublin regulations were (a) received, (b) accepted and (c) rejected by the...

      Asylum: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many take charge requests under each article of the Dublin regulations have been (a) received, (b) accepted and (c) rejected by the...

      Police: Firearms

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on the ratio of firearms instructors to police officers of the Government's...

      Police: Powers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office of 24 March 2016, Official Report, column...

      Police: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the grant settlement and provisional settlements for police forces up to...

      Deportation: Yemen

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Government spent on the enforced returns to Yemen of failed asylum claimants from that country in 2014.

      Police: Voluntary Work

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy that volunteers should not be used in the operational areas of (a) child sexual exploitation, (b) serious...

      Police: Firearms

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to recruit more police firearms instructors as a result of the Government's commitment to train 1,500...

      Asylum: Families

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32506, how many stages there are in the asylum claims process prior to screening and...

      Stalking

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will take steps to support National Stalking Awareness Week.

      Police and Crime Commissioners: Fire Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which agreement takes precedence in areas where she has accepted a business case for the police and crime commissioner to become the fire...

  • House of Commons Commission

    • Parliamentary Estate: Autism

      To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will take steps to secure an Autism Access Award from the National...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • Palestinians: EU Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what position the UK representative at the MaMa-COHAFA meeting in Brussels on 11 April 2016 took on proposals to (a) demand...

    • Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Resignations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

      Colombia: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will increase its political and economic support for the UN Human Rights Office in Bogota to increase the...

      Bahrain: Technical Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department conducts ongoing appraisals of the effectiveness of the Bahrain Office of the Ombudsman of the Ministry...

      Bahrain: Technical Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which projects were funded by his Department's technical assistance budget for Bahrain in each of the last five years.

      Mohamed Ramadan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government made to the Ombudsman of the Bahraini (a) Ministry of Interior and (b) authorities on that...

      Colombia: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on the number of human rights defenders and community leaders who...

      Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is the Government's policy not to disclose the content of its Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments.

      Egypt: Freezing of Assets

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Egyptian authorities ahead of the planned asset freeze trial in Egypt which could affect...

      Egypt: Freezing of Assets

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the British Ambassador in Egypt has had with the Egyptian authorities on the planned asset freeze trial in...

      Commonwealth: Honours

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 20 January 2016 to Questions 22933, 22934 and 22935, how many of the 15 Commonwealth realms...

      Falkland Islands: Argentina

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Argentina on the future of the Falkland Islands.

      Falkland Islands: Argentina

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to support the right of the people of the Falkland Islands to develop their own economy without...

      Falkland Islands: Argentina

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy on the Falkland Islands of the recent decision by the UN to...

      Israel: Overseas Companies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that UK businesses that operate in Israel and the occupied Palestinian...

      Yemen: Military Intervention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether equipment provided by the UK has been used to facilitate the delivery of cluster munitions by the Saudi Arabian forces...

      Israel: Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with G4S on that company's adherence to the terms of the (a) Fourth Geneva Convention...

      Diplomatic Immunity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department takes to ensure claims for diplomatic immunity are authentic.

      Diplomatic Immunity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many diplomatic certificates his Department has issued in the last two years; to whom such certificates were issued; and...

      Burundi: Peace Negotiations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support a peaceful resolution to violence in Burundi after the African Union's decision...

      Burundi: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of refugees from Burundi on neighbouring countries; what discussions he has had with...

      United Arab Emirates: Torture

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of compliance by the United Arab Emirates with international treaties and norms on the use...

      Diplomatic Immunity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in how many court cases diplomatic immunity was claimed in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15.

  • Attorney General

    • UK Membership of EU

      To ask the Attorney General, what assessment the Government has made of the use of the European Arrest Warrant as a prosecutorial tool in the event of a vote to leave the European Union.

    • Serious Fraud Office: Disclosure of Information

      To ask the Attorney General, what procedures are in place to share information from the Serious Fraud Office's dedicated reporting channel with other investigatory bodies and prosecuting authorities.

  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    • EU External Trade: Canada

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2015 to Question 5063, whether the text of the EU Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade...

    • Shipping: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on convening a cross-government and stakeholder working party...

      Minerals: Brazil

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department has taken to prevent the importation to the UK of illegally-mined gold and other mineral products from...

      EU Internal Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many of the EU's free trade arrangements include provisions relating to services.

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Resignations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

      UK Membership of EU: Referendums

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 27866, whether all other EEA members would be required to agree to the UK...

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many civil servants were employed by each agency of his Department in each location in the last year for which figures are...

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the annual cost per employee is of rent, rates and maintenance for his Department's office at (a) St Paul's Place,...

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the annual cost is of policy staff (a) from his Department's office at St Paul's Place, Sheffield and (b) from his...

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the annual cost is of rent, rates and maintenance for his Department's office at (a) St Paul's Place, Sheffield and (b) 1...

      Foreign Companies: Property

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2016 to Question 27772, if he will provide that data on overseas and UK-based ownership of...

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what process his Department will adopt for evaluating responses received to the consultation on proposals to move all policy...

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of potential savings to his Department's budget that will arise from the closure of its Sheffield...

      Groceries Code Adjudicator

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to set out a timetable for the review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator.

      Education: Qualifications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how the Access to Higher Education Diploma will be funded from academic year 2016-17 onwards.

      Apprentices: Taxation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether apprenticeship levy funds will be usable to pay for qualifications embedded within apprenticeship standards.

      Middle East: Arms Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of expenditure earned from UK arms exports comes from exporting arms to countries in the Middle East.

  • Department for International Development

    • Developing Countries: Taxation

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department has made of the extent of tax evasion and tax avoidance in the global south.

    • Africa: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect on Africa's development needs of the recent downward revision of economic growth in...

      Developing Countries: Overseas Companies

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department has made of the amount of profits moved out of developing countries by UK-listed companies in each of the...

      Israel: Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many structures funded in the Occupied West Bank through the EU Consortium have been demolished by the Israeli government since 1...

      Israel: Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2016 to Question 30955, what the financial and other practical implications are of the UK joining...

      Developing Countries: Overseas Companies

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on making tax information of UK-listed companies available to developing countries.

      Middle East: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much UK aid has been spent on programmes to support (a) children who have been conscripted as child soldiers by Daesh, (b) other...

      Israel: Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2016 to Question 30873, what EU ECHO-funded structures have been demolished in the Occupied West...

      Egypt: Non-governmental Organisations

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Egyptian government's restrictions on domestic non-governmental organisations on her...

      Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to page 169 of the Office for Budget Responsibility's report, Economic and fiscal outlook March 2016, to which partners...

      Middle East: Conflict, Stability and Security Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Government response to the International Development Committee's Third Report of Session 2014-15, UK's...

      Burundi: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the Government has contributed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' appeal for the Burundi humanitarian response in...

  • Department for Education

    • Pupil Premium: EEA Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school-aged pupils there are with at least one parent who is a national in another EEA member state in households with a total income within...

    • Pupil Premium: EEA Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2016 to the hon. Member for St Albans to Question 30490, on pupil premium, if she will estimate the number of...

      Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2016 to Question 31449, what the main components are of the expenditure that her Department incurs when a school...

      Adoption Leadership Board

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many times the Adoption Leadership Board has met since its creation in 2014.

      Local Safeguarding Children Boards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to publish the Local Safeguarding Children Board review.

      Pupils: Autism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that all teachers in England are able to understand and respond to the needs of pupils with an autism spectrum disorder.

      Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has published on academy schools and their entitlement to run consultancy businesses alongside the educational function...

      Free Schools: Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools with a special educational needs focus were graded as (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) requires improvement and (d) requires...

      Pupil Referral Units: Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of pupils enrolled in Pupil Referral Units have (a) Statements of SEN for children and Learning Difficulties Assessments...

      Adoption

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much each local authority in England has received from the Adoption Support Fund since its creation.

      Free Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the 22 new free schools announced by her Department on 5 February 2016 are being sponsored by trusts and chains which currently run...

      Free Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the 22 new free schools announced by her Department on 5 February 2016 will be located in but not adjacent to planning areas where there...

      Academies: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2016 to Question 30916, for what reasons related party transactions by academy trusts can be classified as...

      Students: Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department last reviewed its statutory guidance on post-16 transport to education and training.

      Primary Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2016 to Question 31440, on primary education, how many (a) head teachers, (b) teachers and (c) union...

      Children's Play: Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the conclusion in the report from Sense, entitled Making the case for play,...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Ministry of Justice: Insurance Companies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what (a) written and (b) other contacts he or Ministers in his Department had with senior executives at (a) AXA UK, (b) Ageas UK, (c) General Insurance,...

    • Personal Injury: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 1.143 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, how the Government defines the term claims culture.

      Courts and Tribunals: Digital Technology

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, how much of the £700m fund for updating the technology on the courts and tribunals...

      Social Security Benefits: Kettering

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 16 December 2013, column 507W, what the updated figures are for the latest period available.

      HM Courts and Tribunals Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance he has issued to HM Courts and Tribunals Service on minimum standards for keeping appellants updated of future court dates and waiting...

      Immigration: Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what monitoring his Department undertakes of waiting times for immigration appeal hearings.

      Immigration: Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time was for an immigration appeal hearing in HM Courts and Tribunal service in each of the last five years.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Gliding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether officers in gliding schools who are over 65 years of age and have A2* training qualifications or above will be allowed to undertake staff...

    • Saudi Arabia: Hawk Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the (a) first and (b) last Hawk jet is scheduled to be delivered to Saudi Arabia; and how many (i) RAF personnel, (ii) RAF personnel seconded to...

      Military Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Boeing Poseidon P-8s acquired by the UK will be compatible with the MQ-4 Triton UAV.

      Air Force: Gliding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of the (a) reduction in the number of gliders available for Air Cadet forces, (b) reduction in the number of...

      Puma Helicopters

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when a Wire Strike Protection system will be fitted to the Puma helicopter; and when (a) Initial Gate and (b) Final Gate approval was granted for that...

      Nuclear Submarines: Iron and Steel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to source steel for the construction of new nuclear submarines.

      Single Source Regulations Office

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on recruiting a permanent chair of the Single Source Regulations Office; and when he expects the new chair to be in place.

      Aircraft Carriers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress has been made on the construction and procurement of HMS Prince of Wales and the accompanying aircraft for both Queen Elizabeth...

      Ministry of Defence Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total (a) budget for and (b) full-time equivalent workforce of the Ministry of Defence Police was in each of the last six years.

      Ministry of Defence Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ministry of Defence Police stations there were in each of the last six years.

      Armed Forces Covenant: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 prevents the full implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland.

      Veterans: Mesothelioma

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when compensation payments to veterans with mesothelioma caused by service were commenced.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Attendance Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that people who qualify for attendance allowance have been made aware of that scheme and...

    • Work Programme: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) the North West, (b) Lancashire and (c) Pendle have found lasting work through the Work Programme.

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on the consideration by the Child Maintenance Service of any evidence which would be admissible in a court or in a Tribunal...

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff are employed in the Financial Investigation Unit of the Child Maintenance Group.

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many prosecutions have been undertaken by the Financial Investigation Unit within the Child Maintenance Group in each financial year since...

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much of the £31 million of child maintenance arrears written off in 2014-15 was written off under each of the ground in the Child...

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Policy, Law and Decision Making Guidance used by Child Maintenance Service caseworkers when...

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to lay before Parliament the results of the 30-month review required under Section 141 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 of the...

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with other Government departments on how supported housing will be funded under universal credit.

      Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a bedroom which is currently unusable pending repairs by a social landlord is included by his Department in its assessment of whether...

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • Gambling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the progress made by bookmakers in reducing gambling-related harm.

    • Responsible Gambling Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what links his Department has with the Responsible Gambling Trust.

      Betting Shops: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the role of betting shop staff and their recognition of excluded customers in the betting...

      Mass Media: Legal Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government plans to issue a commencement order to bring into effect Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013.

      Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government intends to proceed with Part 2 of the Leveson Inquiry.

  • Department for Communities and Local Government

    • Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 2 of Budget 2016, whether the £3.5 billion savings to public spending to be achieved by 2012-20...

    • Small Businesses: Non-domestic Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how he plans that the section 31 grant to compensate councils for the extension of small business rate relief will be funded.

      Non-domestic Rates: Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the potential effect on business rate revenue of converting all schools to academies.

      Roads: Planning Obligations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether Section 106 contributions for highways infrastructure works can be used to pay for (a) the costs of administrative,...

      Roads: Planning Obligations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what procedures are in place to ensure that (a) town councils, (b) parish councils and (c) local communities have the...

      Departmet for Communities and Local Government: Resignations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

      Housing Associations: Performance Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what powers he has to intervene with under-performing housing associations.

      Fracking

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will update national and planning policies to (a) account for shale operations and (b) introduce buffer zones between...

      Retail Trade: Vacancies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the high street vacancy rate was in (a) England and (b) each region of England in each of the last six years.

      Health Services: Social Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the principles to underpin reform in the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health report from the Independent...

      Department for Communities and Local Government: Advertising

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of running events promoting local authority devolution deals in each of...

      Department for Communities and Local Government: Hotels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost of hotel bookings for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants of his Department was during the...

      Communities and Local Government: Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) flights, (b) rail journeys and (c) taxi journeys were taken by (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii)...

      Fracking: Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government has taken to ensure that local communities are consulted when planning applications for shale gas...

  • HM Treasury

    • Young People: Finance

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure young people are not disproportionately affected by reductions in government expenditure.

    • Shipping: Pay

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received about possible revision of the seafarer's earnings deduction incentive.

      Tax Evasion

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employees of HM Revenue and Customs are employed to investigate tax evasion; what the estimated amount was of tax evasion in 2015; and if he will...

      Overseas Companies: Malawi

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to change the terms of tax conditions for UK multinational companies operating in Malawi.

      Tonnage Tax

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the change in tax liabilities for shipping companies in the tonnage tax scheme in (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016 to date.

      Trident Submarines: Costs

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what procedures his Department has in place to monitor any changes in the estimated cost of the Successor submarine programme subsequent to the publication...

      Welfare Tax Credits

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have had their tax credit payments stopped as a result of in-year adjustments in the last 12 months.

      Productivity

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what definition the Government uses of productivity.

      Owner Occupation and Personal Savings

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support (a) people with savings and (b) home ownership.

      Business: Government Assistance

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support businesses.

      Personal Income

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to help people keep more of their earnings.

      Business: Government Assistance

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support businesses.

      Average Earnings and Inflation

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment he has made of trends in the level of wage growth and inflation.

      Tax Havens: Multinational Companies

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on requiring multinational companies to disclose to the public the profits they hold in tax havens (a) in British Overseas Territories...

      Air Ambulance Services: Northern Ireland

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether funding for an air ambulance in Northern Ireland announced in the Budget 2016 will be provided to Air Ambulance NI or the Northern Ireland...

      Owner Occupation and Personal Savings

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support (a) people with savings and (b) home ownership.

      Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to reform the valuation of business rates.

  • Members Estimate Committee

    • UK Independence Party: Short Money

      To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the Members Estimate Committee, how much Short money the UK Independence Party has claimed since May 2015; and on what dates...

  • Department for Energy and Climate Change

    • Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will estimate the amount of carbon dioxide emissions that have been saved in each year since on-shore wind farms have been...

    • Nuclear Reactors

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many small nuclear reactors her Department plans to order over the Spending Review 2015 period.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Electoral Register

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost of supporting electoral registration by (a) local authorities and (b) other groups was in each of the last 10 years.

    • Prison Service: Scotland

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department took to inform prison officers in Scotland of the transfer of Civil Service Employee Pensions from the Classic to the Alpha...

      Cabinet Office: Resignations

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

      Corruption

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 April 2016 to Question 32149, on what page in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts the specific costs incurred by...

      Iraq Committee of Inquiry

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Departments are involved in the national security checking of the text of the Iraq Inquiry report.

      Tax Havens

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that Government (a) departments and (b) contractors do not make use of tax havens.

      Crown Dependencies: Companies

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the contribution by the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East of 23 February 2016, Official Report, when the fully accessible public...

      Trident Submarines

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many members of staff of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority have been assigned to work on the Government's Successor submarine programme;...

      Commission On Freedom of Information

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what timetable he has set for publication of information on the cost to the public purse of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information.

      Government Departments: Procurement

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government recorded in his Department's spending analysis tool that it spent on acquisitions from external suppliers in the last year for...

      Anti-corruption Summit

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to invite representatives from the Scottish government and its agencies to the Anti-Corruption Summit being held in London in May 2016.

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Bees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the threat of the small hive beetle and the Asian hornet to the British bee population.

    • Floods: Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made with the insurance industry on the development of a Flood Re scheme for small businesses.

      Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when it is planned Dartmoor Farmers who farm on common land will receive payments under the Basic Payment Scheme; and if she...

      Litter: Beaches

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what further steps she plans to take under the National Litter Strategy to reduce the number of bottles on beaches.

      Animal Welfare: Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle serious cases of animal cruelty.

  • Department of Health

    • Palliative Care: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent by clinical commissioning groups on palliative care for (a) children and young people and (b) adults in each of the last three years.

    • Human Embryo Experiments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the publication of the Home Office Guidance on the use of Human Materials in Animals Advice Note 01/16, what the process will be for...

      Health: Innovation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been provided to health innovation networks in each year since their creation; and how much funding he plans to provide to these...

      Department of Health: Resignations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

      South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will undertake a review of the effectiveness of the operation and governance of the South East Coast Ambulance Service.

      NHS Property Services: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will undertake a review of the effectiveness of the operations and governance of NHS Property Services.

      Prostate Cancer: Diagnosis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps he has taken to reduce prostate cancer in men through early diagnosis.

      Children: Visual Impairment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will implement the recommendations made in the Time to Move report published by Blind Children UK in February 2016 to improve the...

      Epilepsy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients had epilepsy in the UK in each of the last five years.

      Brivaracetam

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the epileptic drug Briviact will be available on the NHS.

      Prescription Drugs: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to introduce a national helpline for sufferers of prescribed drug dependence.

      Supported Housing: Older People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of supported housing in helping older people with support needs to live independently...

      Formaldehyde

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2016 to Question 31000, what assessment the NHS has made of the potential causal link between formaldehyde contained...

      Epilepsy: Death

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission a National Clinical Audit of avoidable deaths in epilepsy.

      Social Services: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the minimum standards required to practice as a care worker are; and what steps he is taking to ensure online training courses in care work are...

      Health Visitors: Halton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health visitors were employed in Halton constituency in each year since 2010.

      NHS: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has received any representations from NHS staff who feel they are being harassed outside NHS buildings by protesters.

      Occupational Health

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of businesses which have a mental health workplace policy.

      Tuberculosis: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason there was a shortage of the BCG vaccine in 2015; and what steps his Department is taking so that such shortages do not occur in the future.

      Blood: Contamination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the average change in the level of financial support given to a person over (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 30 years under his...

      NHS Leadership Academy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he provides to the NHS Leadership Academy on the selection of candidates.

      Autism: Southampton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in Southampton were diagnosed with autism in the most recent period for which figures are available.

      Chorley and South Ribble Hospital: Accident and Emergency Departments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when (a) the fact of, (b) the reasons for and (c) consequences of shortages of staff at Chorley and South Ribble Accident and Emergency unit was first...

      Mental Health Services: Intersex

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many intersex people have been referred for or requested mental health support in England in each year since 2010; and how many clinical...

      Autism: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time for children between referral for an autism diagnosis and first diagnostic appointment was in each clinical commissioning...

      Mental Health Services: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average number of days was from referral to treatment in child and adolescent mental health services in each year since 2010.

      Drugs: Advisory Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review provision of the FRANK drug advice service to support reducing risks to young people.

  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Universities: Admissions

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of applications to Russell Group universities came from pupils from state comprehensive schools in each of the last 10 years.

  • Department for Education

    • Children's Play: Disability

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that developmental play services, including Portage, are a statutory service for disabled children under the age of two.

    • Academies: Curriculum

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their plans to make all schools convert to academy status, what will be the status of the National Curriculum after those conversions.

      Social Services: Children

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they apply, and what circumstances they take into account, in deciding whether to appoint a Commissioner to take over the running of a local...

      Social Services: Children

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to consult family members and children in the London Borough of Lambeth about their experience of children’s services in the...

      Culture: Education

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Nash on 15 March (HL Deb, cols 1726–8), what is their definition of cultural subjects.

      Studio Schools

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Studio Schools currently exist in the UK; how many of those schools are standalone; and how many of those schools have closed.

      Home Education

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to increase oversight of or the level of responsibility in home-schooling in the light of the 40 per cent rise in home-schooled...

  • Ministry of Defence

    • RAF Leuchars

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have (1) commissioned, or (2) undertaken, an impact assessment on the local economy of the departure of RAF personnel from Leuchars.

    • Military Bases: Scotland

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Base Optimisation Programme in Scotland has been completed.

      Destroyers

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 23 March (HL6981), whether they can confirm that the date by which all six destroyers will be fully...

      Merchant Shipping

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of the number of UK merchant seamen, officers and men required to man the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and other merchant...

      Warships

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 23 March (HL7103), why HMS Dauntless and HMS Lancaster are being placed alongside if there are sufficient...

      HMS Queen Elizabeth

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the date for first entry into Portsmouth of HMS Queen Elizabeth has been decided, and if so, what it is.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Social Security Benefits: Carers

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have notified full-time carers affected by the benefit cap of their decision to exempt such claimants following the High Court judgment...

    • Housing Benefit: Carers

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to instruct local authorities to ensure that Discretionary Housing Payments are awarded to full-time carers affected by the benefit cap...

      Food Poverty

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 22 March (HL6812) about state benefits, why they have not made an assessment of the percentage of food...

  • Home Office

    • Police and Crime Commissioners: Elections

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the current Police and Crime Commissioners are standing for re-election in May.

    • Refugees: Syria

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 12 April (HL7328), whether they are on track to fulfil their pledge to accept 20,000 refugees to the...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Israel: Overseas Trade

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's guidance Overseas Business Risk – The Occupied Palestinian Territories, what advice they have...

    • Ministers' Private Offices

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 16 March (HL6552), how they define an "extended Ministerial Office", and for what purpose they...

  • Department of Health

    • Departmental Records

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the 10 year rule that is given as the reason that Lord Owen's and Lord Jenkin of Roding's ministerial papers in regard to contaminated blood were...

    • Maternity Services

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government which commercial organisations are permitted to promote or distribute their products or the products of other organisations in NHS maternity wards; what...

      Choice in End of Life Care Review

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to respond to the recommendations set out in What’s important to me: A review of choice in end of life care, also known as the Choice Review.

      Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the successful tender for the procurement of the human papilloma virus vaccine will be announced.

      Pharmacy

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how often the storage mechanisms and substance of patients' confidential and private information held by pharmacies in the retail sector is examined by or on...

What is this?

The parliamentary question is a great way for MPs and Peers to discover information which the government may not wish to reveal. Ministers reply via written answers, a list of which gets published daily.

We let you vote on whether or not the answer given is adequate.

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