Written answers

Thursday, 18 January 2018

  • Department for Transport

    • Taxis: Disabled

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled people are represented on the working group on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing.

    • Carillion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will (a) publish the Government's contracts with Carillion for all works relating or connected to High Speed Two and (b) place copies of those...

      Carillion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the criteria his Department used to award construction contracts for High Speed Two to Carillion plc in July 2017; and what due...

      Carillion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rail improvement contracts Carillion plc holds in (a) the North East, (b) the North West and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber.

      Buses: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the average age of service vehicles in the West Midlands.

      Carillion: Electrification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications of the collapse of Carillion plc on (a) the current rail electrification works between Blackpool and...

      Unmanned Air Vehicles: Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Written Statement of 27 November 2017, HCWS269, how many crimes or recorded incidents involved drones flying above 400 feet in 2017.

      Severn River Crossing

      What assessment he has made of the effect on road users of the Severn Bridges being taken into public ownership.

      Railways: Kettering

      If the Rail Minister will meet the Kettering Rail Users Group.

      High Speed 2 Railway Line

      What assessment he has made of the potential benefits of High Speed Two for the Midlands and the north.

  • HM Treasury

    • Autumn Budget 2017

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made about the financial effect of Autumn Budget 2017 on (a) women and (b) people with protected characteristics.

    • Children: Day Care

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 15 January 2018, HCWS401, on Tax-Free Childcare, for what reason the number of users of 30-hours of...

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the findings of the Bloomberg New...

    • Tidal Power: Swansea Bay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Stragety, when the Government plans to respond to the First Minister of Wales' request for a statement on the Swansea Bay Tidal...

      Energy: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much money was paid by the Government to (a) electricity transmission, (b) electricity distribution and (c) gas...

      Redundancy Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the extent of the practice of insolvent companies failing to pay redundancy payments to...

      Redundancy Pay: Conditions of Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to protect employees from losing their statutory redundancy pay as a result of a company...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • Libya: Elections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on preparations for forthcoming Presidential elections in Libya.

    • Greek Islands: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on conditions in refugee camps on the Greek islands (a) Chios, (b) Kos, (c) Leros, (d)...

      China: Organs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will respond to Early Day Motion 677 on the Falun Gong and harvesting organs.

      Tunisia: Protest

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of recent and ongoing protests in Tunisia for the political stability...

      Tunisia: Protest

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Tunisia on the arrest and detention of participants in recent and ongoing...

      Tunisia: Protest

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the intimidation and harassment of journalists covering recent and ongoing protests in Tunisia.

      Palestinians: Religious Freedom

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of religious freedom in the Palestinian Territories; and what steps the...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Civil Servants: Migrant Workers

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has to (a) collect information on the number of non-UK EU and EEA nationals working in each civil service department and (b)...

    • Big Ben

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has had discussions with the House of Commons Commission about making arrangements for Big Ben to chime to mark the UK's departure from the EU.

      Carillion

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2017 to Question 115281, if he will place in the Library of the House of Commons every risk assessment relating...

      Carillion

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many live contracts Government Departments and agencies have with Carillion, including all Carillion’s subsidiary companies.

      Carillion

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to every contract that the Government currently has with Carillion and its subsidiary companies: (a) when the contract was awarded; (b)...

      Carillion

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Oral Answer to the Honourable Member for Ogmore of 15 January, 2018, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that local...

      Cabinet Office: Carillion

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2017 to Question 111278, on Cabinet Office procurement, whether he now has an estimate of the value on contracts...

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Arthritis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms have been put in place to identify accurately the number of individuals diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis and...

    • Breast Cancer: Artificial Intelligence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department uses artificial intelligence to spot breast Cancer.

      Slaughterhouses: Inspections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2017 to Question 118905, on Slaughterhouses: Inspections, how many establishments in each group of...

      Slaughterhouses: Inspections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2017 to Question 118905, on Slaughterhouses: Inspections, how many (a) slaughterhouses and (b)...

      Prescription Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prescriptions for (a) benzodiazepines, (b) z drugs and (c) antidepressants were issued in the last year.

      Prescription Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many licences for the manufacture or supply of (a) benzodiazepines (b) z drugs and (c) antidepressants have been issued by the...

      Allied Health Professions: Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which member of his ministerial team will have responsibility for the allied health professions.

      Pharmacy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will introduce a national minor ailments scheme as part of the Pharmacy Integration Fund, and if he will make a statement.

      Social Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his policy is on the use of patient support programmes in the NHS.

      Radiography

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his announcement of 5 December 2017, that the NHS will employ 300 additional radiologists in connection with the Cancer...

      Department of Health and Social Care: Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has a carer's policy for its employees; and what other steps his Department has taken to support employees with...

      NHS: Negligence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent from the public purse on legal fees excluding sums relating to clinical malpractice in each year since 2012.

      Department of Health and Social Care: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much has been spent by his Department from the public purse on legal fees in relation to tendering and awarding contracts in each...

      Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for the Government to appoint a mental health equalities champion as recommended in the Five Year Forward View for...

      Social Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of care packages that were commissioned by Local Authorities in each year since 2010.

      Dementia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to make available data about delayed transfers of care involving people with dementia for the last five years.

      Eating Disorders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman’s report, Ignoring the alarms: how eating disorder services are failing...

      Mentally Disordered Offenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of women and men detained under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983 who were...

      Eating Disorders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 16 of the report of the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman, Ignoring the alarms: how NHS eating disorder...

      Clinical Trials

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the UK no longer having access to the EU portal and database through which all...

      Continuing Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have applied for continuing healthcare; and how many people have received such care since 2010.

      Arrowe Park Hospital: Accident and Emergency Departments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time was for A&E at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral in each year since 2010.

      NHS: Migrant Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to retain EU nationals working in the NHS.

  • Wales Office

    • Wales Office: Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether his Department has a carer's policy for its employees; and what other steps his Department has taken to support employees with caring responsibilities.

    • Wales Office: Electric Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many vehicles in his Department's fleet are (a) electric vehicles and (b) ultra-low emission vehicles.

      Apprentices: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if his Department will ensure that the number of apprenticeships funded in Wales through EU funding programmes is matched by the number of apprenticeships...

      Wales Office: Ministerial Powers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many ministerial directions were issued to his Department in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017.

  • Department for Education

    • Children: Social Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which local authorities children's services departments are exempt from statutory guidance; what those exemptions are; and what steps his Department...

    • Schools: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary age children in (i) the West Midlands and (ii) Coventry who attend a...

      Pre-school Education: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Coventry who are (i) eligible and (ii) not eligible for free school meals have achieved...

      Carillion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to (a) draw up contingency plans and (b) identify alternative suppliers to provide public services to schools in (i)...

      Children: Social Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average cost was to a local authority of preparing for and supporting Ofsted in conducting the Single Inspection Framework for Children's...

      Free School Meals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December to Question 118739, on Pupil Premium, what steps his Department is taking to make the free school meal...

      Office For Students: Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of establishing and maintaining the Office for Students in each of the next five...

  • Ministry of Defence

    • War Widows: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the war widow(er) pension payment rates will be for the 2018-19 financial year.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding has been allocated for universal support in 2016-17; how much funding for universal support has been allocated to each local...

    • Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications were made for a short term benefit advance in the most recent 12 months for which data is available; and how many of...

      Universal Credit: Self-employed

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason a self-employed claimant who earns less than the minimum income floor in some months but over the course of a year earns more...

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time is for her Department to close a case when a Child Maintenance Service order expires; and what targets are in...

      Department for Work and Pensions: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many members of staff in her Department with complex physical and mental health disabilities requiring IT adaptations were employed in...

      Universal Credit: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will reinstate the universal credit child poverty forecast; and if she will make a statement.

      Department for Work and Pensions: Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has a carer's policy for its employees; and what other steps her Department has taken to support employees with caring...

      Mortgages: Interest Payments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what other companies were considered along with SERCO for the contract on distributing the new support for mortgage payment loans.

      Company Accounts: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to update the advice of The Pensions Regulator when the Financial Reporting Council publishes its reviewed UK...

      Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will change the rules for the audio recording of medical assessments for employment and support allowance, personal independence...

      Personal Independence Payment: Email

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide an email address for the submission of personal independence payments claim forms and medical evidence.

      Universal Credit: Payments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance is issued to jobcentre staff on handling requests to split universal credit payments between members of a household.

      Housing Benefit: Supported Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse of providing housing benefit for people in (a) short-term and (b) long-term supported housing was in the...

      Department for Work and Pensions: Ministerial Powers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many ministerial directions were issued to her Department in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017.

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Ostriches

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many ostriches were registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017.

    • Food Poverty: Surveys

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to include a measure on household food insecurity in the new harmonised living costs...

      Food Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2017 to Question 119088, how his Department measures food insecurity.

  • Home Office

    • Terrorism: British Nationals Abroad

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to revoke the right of return for UK-born British jihadists; and if he will make a statement.

    • Overseas Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the findings of the recent report from the Higher Education Policy Institute on the financial contribution...

      Immigration: Biometrics

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether holders of a biometric residence permit can have special characters such as an apostrophe in their name recorded in those documents...

      Bank Services: Undocumented Migrants

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the closure of illegal immigrants' bank accounts will not affect people with a legal...

      Asylum: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has plans for local authorities to provide independent oversight housing for asylum seekers.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the email correspondence on an immigration case from the hon. Member for Aberavon dated 24 November 2017.

      Visas: New Businesses

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visas included letters from RBS confirming the business funds available to the applicant in...

      Pedicabs: Road Traffic Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many pedicab riders have received cautions or arrests for the last twelve months for which records are available.

  • Scotland Office

    • Scotland Office: Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department has a carer's policy for its employees; and what other steps his Department has taken to support employees with caring...

    • Scotland Office: Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the travel costs for his Department have been in each quarter since May 2015, by (a) mode of travel and (b) Minister or Official.

      Scotland Office: Electric Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many vehicles in his Department's fleet are (a) electric vehicles and (b) ultra-low emission vehicles.

      Telecommunications: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on improving the provision of telecommunications...

      Scotland Office: Food Banks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has plans to visit a food bank in February 2018.

  • Northern Ireland Office

    • Terrorism: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of trends in the levels of recruitment to loyalist paramilitary groups in each of the last three years; and if he...

    • Northern Ireland Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he plans to convene a plenary of the five main political parties in Northern Ireland to seek a resolution to the political situation in...

      State Retirement Pensions: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has to meet women in Northern Ireland born in the 1950s and...

      Northern Ireland Office: Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether her Department has a carer's policy for its employees; and what other steps her Department has taken to support employees with caring...

  • Department for International Trade

    • Revenue and Customs: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Office on the number of additional HM Revenue and Customs officials required in...

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Orchestras: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of whether orchestras in Northern Ireland will remain eligible for Creative...

    • Radio Frequencies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many fixed links are operating in the spectrum between 1350 MHz and 1400 MHz.

      Mobile Phones

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of whether mobile phone providers have met their legally binding agreement to provide...

      Broadband: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of rural premises in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) England have access to superfast broadband.

      Culture: Ellesmere Port and Neston

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the level of Government investment there was for arts and culture in Ellesmere Port & Neston constituency in each of...

      Gaming Machines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the economic effect of reducing the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) taking...

      Sports: Clubs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the financial viability of amateur sports clubs involved in (a) cycling, (b)...

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Batteries: Research

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what the criteria are for the provision of grants under the Faraday Battery Challenge, established under the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, for the...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Dental Services: Fees and Charges

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 20 December 2017 (HL3994), what was the total number of fines issued for incorrectly claiming an...

    • Radioisotopes

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements are currently in place for ensuring (1) the safety and quality of medical isotopes used by the NHS when they leave production centres in...

  • Department for International Trade

    • Overseas Trade

      To ask Her Majesty's Government with which companies they have strategic relations; and, in each case, who is the designated Minister.

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Youth Services

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 8 January (HL4167), which youth programmes the £475 million is to be spent on.

  • Department of Health

    • Mefloquine

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 22 December 2017 (HL4314), whether they consider suicide, as listed in the current mefloquine product...

    • Levonorgestrel: Prices

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to investigate the pricing of levonorgestrel by pharmacies.

  • Women and Equalities

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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