Written answers

Tuesday, 16 January 2018

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Medical Records: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using Blockchain technology to store, update and access patient records in the NHS.

    • Ambulance Services: Road Traffic Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2017 to Question 120444, on Ambulance Services: Road Traffic Offences, if he will take steps to...

      Hospitals: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to ensure sufficient staff in hospitals during statutory holiday periods.

      NHS: Directors

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his answer of 4 December 2017 to Question 115611 on NHS: Directors, when he plans to publish the information for 2016-17.

      Cervical Cancer: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the take-up rate for cervical screening in (a) England, (b) North Yorkshire and (c) York was in 2017.

      Antenatal Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which clinical commissioning groups do not provide NHS antenatal classes.

      Heart Diseases: Surgery

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with (a) NHS Trusts (b) other health professionals on Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation bed...

      Heart Diseases: Surgery

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation beds in the NHS in England.

      Health Services: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to close the life expectancy gap between poorer and wealthier areas and to improve health equality.

      Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of extending the issuing of maternity exemption certificates to people taking...

      Care Homes: Dementia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to make dementia training compulsory in care homes for older people.

      Surgical Mesh Implants: Males

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to investigate the causes of pain and suffering to male patients by mesh implants; and what...

      Genito-urinary Medicine

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what activities Ministers of his Department took part in as part of STIQ day on 14 January 2018 in order to encourage more people to get...

      Cancer: Medical Treatments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospitals have met the national cancer waiting time standard for commencing chemotherapy treatment within 31 days of a clinical...

      Nurses: Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many specialist chemotherapy nurses have there been practising in each year since 2010.

      Clinical Trials

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has assessed the effect of the UK losing access to the EU portal and database through which all European clinical research is...

  • HM Treasury

    • Credit Cards: Fees and Charges

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals for a total cost cap on credit cards of 100 per cent of the original sum borrowed.

    • Local Government Finance: Greater Manchester

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2017 to Question 115972 on Infrastructure: Leigh, from which fund the £30m over the next 30 years for local...

      Cider: Excise Duties

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the new duty band for high strength white cider on rates of liver disease.

      Cryptocurrencies

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with officials from the Financial Conduct Authority on consumer protection with respect to (a) the marketing of and (b)...

      Private Finance Initiative

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 8 February 2016 to Question 25744 and of 6 June 2016 to Question 38400, when he plans to publish the equity return...

      Infrastructure: Public Sector

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many business cases for public sector infrastructure investment projects which are not financed by the private sector his Department has received by (a)...

      Venture Capital: Tax Allowances

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost to the public purse was of venture capital schemes: tax relief for investors in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013, (e) 2014, (f) 2015,...

      State Retirement Pensions

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the size of the state pension fund was in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013, (e) 2014, (f) 2015, (g) 2016 and (h) 2017.

      Insurance: Equality

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how he plans to enact the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services in respect of insurance services.

      Child Care Vouchers

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the closure of the childcare vouchers scheme on families with a low household income's ability to...

      Children: Day Care

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) parents and (b) families (i) have registered for and (ii) are receiving payments through the tax free childcare scheme.

      Local Government Finance

      What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the adequacy of funding for local services.

      Paye

      What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's Late, Missing and Incorrect initiative on the accuracy of PAYE Real Time Information.

      Public Sector: Borrowing

      What assessment he has made of potential risks to the economy from high levels of Government borrowing.

      NHS: Finance

      What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the effect of funding allocations on the quality of services provided by the NHS since 2010.

      Public Expenditure

      What comparative assessment he has made of spending on public services in the UK and other developed countries.

      Cooperatives

      What plans he has to increase his Department's support for the co-operative sector.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Social Security Benefits: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many tribunal hearings for appeals against the refusal of disability benefits have been attended by presenting officers; and how many of...

    • Social Security Benefits: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the written guidance issued to presenting officers for tribunal hearings of appeals against the...

      Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a continuous payment of employment and support allowance to claimants...

      Jobseeker's Allowance: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people making a claim for employment support allowance, who fail a work capability assessment, were subsequently unable to claim...

      Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to roll out the yellow card early warning system for benefit sanctions.

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has plans to allow online applications for universal credit to be made without having to provide bank details.

      Universal Credit: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to add newly recognised refugees to the list of groups exempt from the seven day waiting period for universal credit.

      Employment: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to refugees to find employment; and if he will make it his Department’s policy to work with local...

      Financial Institutions: Pensions

      To ask The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of banks and building societies that utilise a clawback feature on their occupational pensions.

      Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the number of hours a claimant in the all work related requirements group must seek on the...

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit applicants have applied for payments to be paid to (a) the household and (b) split between adults in the same...

      Severe Disability Premium

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were claiming the severe disability premium as of April 2017.

      Social Security Benefits: Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time has been for mandatory reconsideration in each year since 2010.

      Jobcentres: Coventry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect of the closure of Tile Hill jobcentre on levels of poverty in the area served by that...

  • Home Office

    • Slavery

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the operation of section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the level of compliance...

    • Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of people applying for positions as Chief Constables; whether the number of such...

      Detection Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with police forces on improving their rate of solving crimes.

      Police: North Yorkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were in North Yorkshire in each year since 2010.

      Police Custody: Sanitary Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2018 to Question 121393, what responses have been received from constabularies in England, as a result...

      Airguns: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to introduce air gun licensing.

      Hate Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the rate of hate crime; and whether those steps vary depending on the group targeted by hate crime.

      Alcoholic Drinks: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to collect and publish data on drink spiking.

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 26 October 2017, Official Report, column 412, when the...

      Slavery

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 26 October 2017, Official Report, column 512, when the...

      Slavery

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 27 October 2017, Official Report, col. 512, when the new...

      Slavery

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department of 26 October 2017, Official...

  • Northern Ireland Office

    • Northern Ireland Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when she plans to meet the leaders of the four main churches to discuss the restoration of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive; and if she...

    • Belfast Agreement: Anniversaries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has to mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement; and if she will make a statement.

  • Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • Planning Permission: Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 012, Reference ID: 16-012-20140306, of the Government’s Appeals Planning Practice Guidance,...

    • Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications have been called in during the last five years; and how many of those applications related at...

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many data incidents her Department (a) recorded and (b) reported to the Information Commissioner's Office in (i) 2015-16...

    • Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport whether she has plans to include the Impress Standards Code in the list of journalism standards codes in section 32(3) of the...

      Broadband: Urban Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 156 of the Industrial Strategy, published in November 2017, which towns and cities which will benefit from the...

      Railways: North of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 153 of the Industrial Strategy, published in November 2017, what the timetable is for the installation...

      Broadband: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many postcodes in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency and (b) London are currently earmarked for fibre broadband...

      Voluntary Work: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to pilot the National Citizens Service in Scotland.

      Art Works: Poland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the sale of Polish art which was looted during World War 2.

      European Capital of Culture

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he or officials of his Department have had with the EU Commission on UK cities' eligibility for the 2023...

      Digital Broadcasting: Radio

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to make a decision on the timing of a possible switchover to digital radio.

      Telephone Preference Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether an estimate been made of the extent to which companies are not complying with regulations on preventing nuisance calls...

      Channel Four Television: Location

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the benefits to the West Midlands economy of Channel 4 relocating to Wolverhampton;...

      Data Protection: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether UK businesses will be required to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679) after 25 May 2018.

      Licensed Premises: Music

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assesment his Department has made of the effect of music venue closures on the working conditions of self-employed musicians.

  • Department of Health

    • Innovative Medicines and Medical Technology Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Government response to the Accelerated Access Review published in November 2017, what plans his Department has to streamline...

    • Charles Bonnet Syndrome

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance GPs receive on the recognition and diagnosis of Charles Bonnet Syndrome.

      Patients: Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on how much was paid by NHS bodies to cover private sector liabilities to workers as a result of the performance...

      Hospital Beds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of hospital beds there are per one thousand of the population in (a) England, (b)...

      Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidelines his Department issues to people with mental health conditions with financial difficulties on accessing specialised support services.

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Innovate UK

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding was allocated to each NUTS 1 region by Innovate UK in each year since 2007-08.

    • Innovate UK: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Full-Time Equivalent staff are employed by Innovate UK, in each NUTS 1 region.

      Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding for business investment Wave 1 of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund has allocated to each NUTS 1...

      Connecting Capability Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding has been allocated from the Connecting Capability Fund to each NUTS 1 region for each year since the...

      Higher Education Innovation Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much money the Higher Education Innovation Fund has allocated to each NUTS 1 region in each year since its creation.

      Rutherford Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much money the Rutherford Fund has allocated to each NUTS 1 region in each year since its creation.

      Economic Regions: Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to page 132 of the Industrial Strategy, published in November 2017, what the process will be for the...

      Revenue and Customs: Living Wage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much additional funding is being provided to HMRC for it to comply with the planned increase in the national living...

      Kids Company

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons the Insolvency Service has not published its report into Kids' Company; and if he will make a statement.

      Energy: Storage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to encourage the development of an open market for...

      Glass: Manufacturing Industries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much coal was used for the production of different types of glass in each year since 1992 for which data is...

      Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps he has taken to encourage the further development of the offshore wind turbine industry; and if he...

      Furs: Labelling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that consumers are provided with sufficient information on product labels...

      Bombardier: Belfast

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans she has to visit Bombardier in Belfast to discuss its ongoing dispute with Boeing; and if she will make a...

      Fuel Poverty: North Yorkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many households in (a) York Central, (b) City of York local authority area and (c) North Yorkshire are living in...

      Global Navigation Satellite Systems

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the UK leaving the EU will affect the contracts to produce the payloads for the European Union Global...

      Home Energy and Lifestyle Management

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2018 to Question 121267, what parties have made representations on the matter of...

      Home Energy and Lifestyle Management: Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 21 December 2017 to Question 120003, how many photovoltaics installations through Green Deal...

      Palmer and Harvey: Insolvency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Insolvency Service has received an application from the administrators of Palmer & Harvey for financial...

      Consumers: Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to repeal the incorporation in UK law of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation...

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • English Language: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to publish a strategy for English as a Second Language provision in England.

    • Homelessness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps his Department has taken to work with local communities in reducing levels of homelessness in their...

      Smoke Alarms: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the proportion of households without functioning smoke alarms in (a) the West...

      Local Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the proportion of time spent dealing with individual local authority matters and...

      Forests: Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many responses his Department received to its consultation on the Housing White Paper; and how many of those...

      Devolution: Yorkshire and the Humber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to meet Yorkshire Council Leaders to discuss the proposed One Yorkshire deal.

      Department for Communities and Local Government: Written Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2018 to Question 119163, how many of his Department's Answers to Written...

      Homelessness: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to identify the level of homelessness in rural areas.

      Sleeping Rough: Weather

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking reduce the risks faced by people living on the streets during times of sub-zero...

      Letting Agents: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for the introduction of the draft Tenant Fees Bill into the House.

      Incinerators: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a moratorium on waste incineration planning...

      Travellers: Trespass

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what accounts taken of the fact that applicants have camped illegally on land for which they are applying for...

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Ministry of Defence: Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on (a) taxis, (b) first class train tickets and (c) business class air travel in each of the last four years.

    • Trident

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial contributions the Government has made to the US administration to date to support the D5 Life Extension programme; and what future such...

      Armed Forces: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Living Overseas Allowance for each station.

      Armoured Fighting Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Secretary of State for International Trade on the Mechanised...

  • Department for Communities and Local Government

    • Planning Permission: Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how his Department is incorporating the effect that engagement with nature has on well-being in the planning system.

    • Housing: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to Answer of 21 December 2017 to Question 116748, how much of the £1.2 billion of funding for the Starter Home...

      Building Regulations: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to amend the relevant building regulations to require all large buildings to have Changing Places toilet...

      Broadband: Planning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that access to fast broadband is a planning condition...

      Housing Infrastructure Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been allocated from the Housing Infrastructure Fund to each NUTS 1 region in each year since that...

      Welfare Assistance Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much expenditure will be allocated by his Department for Local Welfare Assistance schemes in each of the next five years.

      Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the estimated cost of the re-branding of his Department is.

      Female Genital Mutilation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps have been taken to work with faith leaders to increase the number of signatories to the declaration condemning...

      Housing: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of local authorities have adopted the voluntary policy requirement for adaptable and accessible homes.

      Housing: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the proportion of new homes built since 2015 which are in accordance with the voluntary policy...

      Derelict Land

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to collate and assess the information which was published in brownfield registers by local...

  • Scotland Office

    • Local Growth Deals: Scottish Borders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the Borderlands growth deal.

    • Scotland Office: Advertising

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 6 October 2017 to Question 105441 on Scotland Office: Social Media, and the Answer of 20 December 2017 to Question 119818,...

  • Department for Transport

    • Taxis: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy to bring forward legislative proposals to mandate disability equality training for taxi and minicab drivers.

    • Housing: Stafford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many houses in Stafford constituency have been purchased by the (a) Need to Sell scheme, (b) Statutory Blight scheme, (c) Express Purchase scheme...

      Railways: Leigh

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) feasibility, (b) cost and (c) potential merits of a loop railway line to connect Leigh constituency...

      Department for Transport: Government Procurement Card

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 December 2017 to Question 120433, on Government Procurement Card, for what reason the £1,495.84 was spent by his...

      Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the introduction of new funding for the major road network.

      High Speed 2 Railway Line: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 140 of the Industrial Strategy, published in November 2017, in which NUTS 1 regions will the 3,000 permanent HS2 jobs be based.

      Community Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for his Department's consultation on the future of community transport connections, and the effect of new EU regulations on...

      Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to make an assessment of the effectiveness of the DVLA’s current cost recovery model for fees levied to access driver...

      Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the percentage change in real terms of the average cost to the individual of travelling by (a) private car, (b) bus, (c)...

      Ports: Modernisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to modernise UK ports.

      High Speed Two: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the duration is of the employment contract for the interim independent construction commissioner for HS2.

      High Speed Two: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the process is for his Department's hiring a permanent independent construction commissioner for HS2.

      High Speed Two: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the names of people that comprise the independent body of project stakeholders who will determine the full terms of reference of...

      High Speed Two: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what budget his Department plans to provide for a permanent HS2 Independent construction commissioner.

      High Speed Two: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people the HS2 independent construction commissioner will employ; and if will place the organisational chart for that commissioner's team in...

      Shipping: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish the conclusions of the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft)...

      Transforming Cities Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that cities which do not have a metro mayor receive an appropriate allocation from the Transforming...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • Diego Garcia: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of climate change on the risk that UK and US defence facilities at Diego Garcia will...

    • Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the cost was to his Department as a result of officials taking sick leave in the last year.

      North Korea: Nuclear Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Russian counterpart on the situation in North Korea; and if he will make a statement.

      North Korea: Nuclear Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the UN Security Council’s sanctions on North Korea in...

      North Korea: UN Resolutions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the UK's Permanent Ambassador to the UN on the latest UN Security Council resolution on...

      Libya: Slavery

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help tackle reported slave auctions in detention camps in Libya.

      Burma: Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to make an assessment within the framework of international humanitarian law of the nature...

      Burma: Sanctions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking on as penholder on Burma in the UN Security Council to pursue sanctions on senior military...

      Burma: Rohingya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the agreement between the Governments of Bangladesh and Burma on the...

      Burma: Rohingya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Bangladesh on ensuring that no Rohingya refugees are forcibly...

      Sudan: Migration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with civil society organisations in Sudan on ways to tackle irregular migration from...

      Eritrea: Religious Freedom

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of religious freedom in Eritrea.

      Egypt: Religious Freedom

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to promote and protect the right to freedom of religion or belief in Egypt.

      Embassies: EU Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK embassises and consulates were open in those EU Member States which were full member states in 2010 in each year...

  • Department for International Development

    • Ports: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to train overseas port health officers to UK standards.

    • Small Charities Challenge Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding her Department has allocated out of the Small Charities Challenge fund since its creation.

      South Sudan: Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce gender-based violence in South Sudan.

      South Sudan: Conflict Resolution

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department has provided for church-led reconciliation efforts in South Sudan.

  • Department for Education

    • Pupils: Clothing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations he has received on the recommendation to school inspectors made by the Chief Inspector of Schools in November 2017 on girls...

    • Universities Superannuation Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the University and College Union on proposed changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme.

      Schools: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effect of Government investment in education on pupil outcomes since 2010.

      Educational Institutions: Technology

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the timetable is for the establishment of the new Institutes of Technology.

      English Language: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 113 of the Industrial Strategy, published in November 2017, in which locations her Department plans to establish the network of...

      Mathematics: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 112 of the Industrial Strategy, published in November 2017, how many Maths hubs have been set up in each NUTS 1 region and in...

      Teachers: Pilot Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 5.8 of Autumn Budget 2017, in which area will the Teacher Development Premium will be piloted.

      Mathematics: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of schools in each NUTS 1 region have taken up the Teaching for Mastery Maths programmes; and what estimate she has made...

      Schools: Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to schools to support refugee and asylum seeker children.

      Education: Assessments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the security of examination answers as a result of Ofqual's recent decision to void a number of...

      Teachers: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on the number of primary school teachers who have been signed off with long-term sick leave due to stress in (a)...

      Teachers: Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the number of teachers who have been signed off with long-term sick leave in England in the last...

      Children: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average weekly cost was of a childcare place in the West Midlands in each year since 2010.

      Children: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average number of funded hours used by families was per week by people with 30 hours places during the September term in 2017.

      Primary Education: Nurseries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of nursery provision attached to primary schools is run (a) by private, voluntary and independent nurseries and (b) directly by the...

      Children: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what was the average cost was of a funded hour under the 30 hours free childcare policy during the 2017 September term.

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Water: Meters

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the proportion of households in (a) each local authority (b) each region and (c) England that...

    • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Equal Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the transparency document entitled DEFRA's Gender Pay Gap Report 2017, if he will set out the pay gap data...

      Marine Management Organisation: Equal Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the transparency document entitled Marine Management Organisation Gender Pay Gap Report 2017, if he will...

      Biodiversity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on establishing the biodiversity net gain approach in environmental law after the UK leaves the EU; and...

      Abandoned Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the time frame is for local authorities to (a) respond and (b) take action in regard to a report of an untaxed or...

      Flood Control: Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural affairs, with reference to page 135 of the Industrial Strategy, published in November 2017, how much funding has been allocated from...

      Tea: Polymers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to encourage food manufacturers to produce tea bags without the use of polymers.

      Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which fruitless payments in excess of £30,000 her Department has made by (a) recipient of each such payment, (b)...

      Forests: North of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much Government funding will be provided for tree planting to expand the White Rose Forest as part of the new Northern...

      Forests: North of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the new Northern Forest will be managed woodland for private profit.

      Golden Eagles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to re-introduce Golden Eagles into the UK.

      Beverage Containers: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect on levels of employment of introducing a 25p levy on...

      Beverage Containers: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will begin a public consultation on a levy to be raised on plastic cups.

      Clean Air Zones: Market Towns

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of clean air zones in market towns; and if he will make a statement.

      Flood Control: North Cornwall

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what level of investment from the public purse is planned for flood prevention in North Cornwall in (a) 2017-18 and (b) the...

      Plastics: Recycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of recycling plastic waste to produce hydrogen.

      Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will assess the adequacy of UK biosecurity legislation.

      Hunting: Diseases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to investigate the potential spread of disease caused by packs of hunting hounds.

      Livestock: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of current bio-security measures for the disposal of dead stock on farms.

      Fisheries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Written Statement of 21 December 2017, HCWS386, if he will publish a list of the 44 stocks of interest...

      Sea Bass: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Marine Maritime Organisation and (b) Association of Inshore...

      Total Allowable Catches: Celtic Sea

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Written Statement of 21 December 2017, HCWS386, what scientific evidence informed the decision to set...

      Nature Conservation: Marine Environment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking improve marine conservation in the UK.

      Pesticides: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures his Department has put in place to replicate the functions of the European bodies responsible for regulating...

      Pesticides: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what additional funding has been put in place to create a new pesticide regulatory system after the UK leaves the EU.

      Pesticides: Monitoring

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to implement the recommendation of his Department's Chief Scientific Advisor to create a system to monitor...

      Environment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will seek substantive contributions from the Welsh and Scottish Governments on drafting new environmental legislation...

      Rescue Services: West Mercia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) financial and (b) other support to West Mercia Search & Rescue.

      Recycling: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the rate of household waste recycling rate to meet the EU Waste Framework...

      Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 January 2018 to Question 119340, what discussions officials of his Department have had with...

      Beverage Containers: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of disposable hot drink cups that are (a) thrown away and (b)...

      Microplastics: Marine Environment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on the marine environment of banning microbeads in cosmetic...

      Agriculture: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Scottish Government and (b) Scottish representative organisations about...

      Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the UK's waste and recycling capacity to deal with domestic waste...

      Furs: Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's response to e-petition 200888, whether he plans to extend the existing fur trade...

      Recycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what alternatives his Department is considering to weight-based recycling.

      Furs: Imports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to make an assessment of the effect on animal welfare of banning the import of furs.

      Hunting: Livestock

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the effect of the spread of disease by hunting hounds on livestock on farms.

      Hunting: Livestock

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the feeding of fallen stock to hunting hounds in the absence of routine post-mortems...

      Hunting: Livestock

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ban feeding fallen stock to hounds in light of the risks of infection from...

      Incinerators: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) incineration waste capacity and (b) the effect of waste incineration on the level of...

      Incinerators: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect on the environment of (a) carbon dioxide emissions and (b)...

  • Department for Exiting the European Union

    • British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions the Government has had with European Union negotiators on proposals for associate EU citizenship for British...

    • Brexit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Market Access team in his Department has carried out sectoral impact studies on the effect on the economy of the UK...

      Small Businesses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2017 to Question 118320, for what reasons there was no reference in the answer to conducting...

      European Union: Treaties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will place in the Library a list of all the bilateral and multilateral agreements that the EU is party to.

  • Attorney General

    • Forced Marriage

      To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2018 to Question 121288, on Forced Marriage, what the timetable is for cascading the 13 December 2017 masterclass and other...

    • G4S and Serco

      To ask the Attorney General, when the Serious Fraud Office investigation into the G4S and Serco electronic monitoring contracts which was initiated in 2013 is due to conclude.

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many losses and special payments have been made by his Department in the 2017-18 financial year to date; and what the value of those losses and...

    • Marriage: Humanism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his policy to extend legal recognition to humanist marriages in order to enhance the diversity of choices for types of marriage...

      Prison Officers: Labour Turnover

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of violence against prison officers on the retention of prisoner officers.

      Prison Officers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much has been spent from the public purse on (a) hotels and (b) other expenses for prison officers on detached duty in the last 12 months.

      Prisons: Crimes of Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much has been paid in compensation from the public purse to prison staff as a result of injuries suffered in a violent attack on the prison estate...

      Emergency Services: Road Traffic Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drivers of emergency vehicles being used for (a) police, (b) fire brigade and (c) medical response duties have been (i) charged, (ii) convicted...

      Prison Accommodation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2017 to Question 119037, how many Category B prisoners were held in Category C prisons in each of the last five years.

      Prison Sentences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria are used to prioritise imprisonment for public protection cases; and if he will make a statement.

      Parole Board

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to increase the transparency of Parole Board decisions; and if he will make a statement.

      Sex Offender Treatment Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment the Government has made of the effectiveness of its sex offender treatment programmes; and if he will make a statement.

      Refugees: Families

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of removing legal aid from refugee family reunion cases on those refugees seeking family reunion;...

      Crime: Victims

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government plans to introduce new legislative proposals to enshrine in law key rights for victims.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Electoral Register: Internet

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the increase in level of capacity of the Register to Vote website was between June 2016 and the end of December 2017.

    • Carillion

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Secretary of 10 January 2018, Official Report cols. 307-8, on Government Contracts: SMEs, what...

  • Department for Communities and Local Government

    • Empty Dwelling Management Orders

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent estimate they have made of the number of Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs); what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of EDMOs;...

    • High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when the review of fire safety regulations and precautions, which arose from the fire at Lakanal House in south London in 2009, will be published.

      Local Government: Borrowing

      To ask Her Majesty's Government why local authorities can borrow from the Public Works Loan Board to buy commercial property but not to fund the construction of social housing.

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Financial Reporting Council

      To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Memorandum of Understanding between the Financial Reporting Council and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills dated July 2010 describes the...

    • Financial Reporting Council

      To ask Her Majesty's Government for how long the Financial Reporting Council has been classified by the National Accounts Classification Committee as a central government public body.

      Financial Reporting Council

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Financial Reporting Council has met all the obligations required of public bodies, in particular relating to (1) procurement, (2)...

      Financial Reporting Council

      To ask Her Majesty's Government who receives the proceeds of successful legal actions brought by the Financial Reporting Council against any of the Big Four accountancy firms; and whether any of...

      Financial Reporting Council

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have given any guarantees to the Financial Reporting Council to cover legal costs for cases brought against accountancy firms.

      Mineworkers' Pension Scheme

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Trustees of the Mineworkers Pension Scheme have asked Ministers for meetings to re-negotiate the surplus sharing arrangements of the Scheme...

      Partnerships: Scotland

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to regulate the operation of Scottish limited partnerships.

      Partnerships: Scotland

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the National Crime Agency about the operation of Scottish limited partnerships.

      Partnerships: Scotland

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether ministers have had discussions with the government of Scotland about the operation of Scottish limited partnerships.

      Partnerships: Scotland

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to prevent the use of Scottish limited partnerships for money laundering and the avoidance of legal limits on financial activity.

  • Attorney General

    • Prosecutions

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use by the CPS of the phrase “insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction” in cases where there...

    • Hate Crime: Prosecutions

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 6 December 2017 that she would write to the Director of Public Prosecutions (HL Deb, col 1051), whether she...

  • Department for International Development

    • Greece: Refugees

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees regarding (1) the work needed to improve conditions for refugees in the camp at Moria...

    • Syria: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to use all possible means, including cooperation with Russia, to achieve full humanitarian access to Eastern Ghouta, Syria.

  • Department for Education

    • Office for Students

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the comments by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 16 January 2017 (HL Deb, cols 22–3), what guidance will be issued to the Office for Students;...

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Trident

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made on the programme to replace the UK nuclear deterrent.

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Environment Agency

      To ask Her Majesty's Government which functions of the Environment Agency they are proposing to transfer to the Canal and River Trust.

  • Home Office

    • Asylum

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many incoming transfers under the Dublin III Regulation (regulation 604/2013) were made to the UK in 2017; and how many times the discretion under Article...

    • Detention Centres

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many immigration detention estate Independent Monitoring Board reports for 2016 they responded to; and when they intend to respond to the rest of those reports.

      Asylum: Detainees

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average duration of detention for adult asylum seekers in the UK in 2017.

      Asylum

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average duration of the asylum procedure in the UK over (1) the last 12 months, and (2) the last three years.

  • Cabinet Office

    • National Security: USA

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of the United States relating to the current preparation of the UK national security strategy.

    • Acts

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) sections of, and (2) Schedules to, Acts of Parliament passed since 2010 have not been commenced.

      Peers: Correspondence

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Prime Minister intends to reply to the letter from Lord Rooker to the Prime Minister dated 21 November 2017 in respect of the duty of care towards...

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Youth Services

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what statutory requirements are imposed on local authorities in relation to youth service.

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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