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963985

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Africa
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what Key Performance Indicators his Department has put in place for the performance of commercial visa application centres in African countries.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	169468
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>The contract for providing Visa Application Centres in Africa was awarded to Teleperformance UK Ltd in 2014 initially for a five year period and extended recently for a further two years until 31 March 2021.</p><p>Seventeen critical and non-critical service levels are incorporated into the contract which provides provision of Visa Application Centres in Africa.</p><p>The service levels are intended to measure whether the supplier is meeting the levels of performance necessary to satisfy the Home Office’s business and regulatory requirements. The service levels are regularly reviewed between the supplier and the Home Office.</p><p>The contract awarded to Teleperformance for Visa Application Centres in Africa predates the launch of the current version of Contracts Finder though summary detail has been published for transparency purposes and can be found at</p><p><a href="https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive/contract/1394970/" target="_blank">https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive/contract/1394970/</a></p><p>In complying with the Governments transparency agenda, the Home Office will be publishing a redacted version of the Teleperformance contract to Contracts Finder within the next 4 weeks. The detail of the service levels is contained within Schedule 7.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 11/09/2018 12:41:09 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

963986

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	General Practitioners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to make it easier for people to receive a GP appointment.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	169775
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>The Government has committed to ensuring that by 2019 everyone in the country has easier and more convenient access to general practice services. This includes ensuring that access is available at peak times of demand, including bank holidays and across the Easter, Christmas and New Year periods.</p><p>The latest National Health Service planning guidance, published by NHS England in February 2018, brought forward the delivery timescale to 1 October 2018, to ensure additional capacity is in place ahead of winter 2018.</p><p>As part of the General Practice Forward View, published by NHS England in 2016, a number of initiatives were put in place to support practices and other providers to improve access to general practice services, building on successful approaches piloted through the GP Access Fund schemes. This includes delivering services at scale with better use of digital technology, using a wider workforce and enabling self-care and direct access to other services.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 11/09/2018 14:39:09 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

963987

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	General Practitioners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to increase the number of GP's in more populated areas.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	169776
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>NHS England and Health Education England (HEE) are working together with the profession to increase the general practitioner (GP) workforce. This includes measures to boost recruitment, address the reasons why GPs are leaving the profession, and encourage GPs to return to practice.</p><p>The number of doctors entering speciality training has been increasing year on year. In 2017/18, there were 3,157 new starters recruited to speciality GP training posts, the highest number recruited ever. A £20,000 salary supplement is also available to selected trainees committing to completing their training in areas of the country which have historically struggled to recruit trainees.</p><p>In August 2017 NHS England announced plans to accelerate its international recruitment programme and recruit 2,000 doctors into English general practice over the following three years. To boost retention there is a broad offer available to support GPs to remain in the NHS including the GP Health Service, the GP Retention Scheme, and the recently launched £10 million GP Retention Fund which includes funds targeted at specific areas.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 11/09/2018 13:53:43 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

963988

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Aviation: Complaints
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department collects information from alternative dispute resolutions in respect of complaints about compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of cancellation of flights.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	169777
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>Compensation claims are handled directly by the individual airlines, rather than by the Department. The relevant EU Regulation 261/2004 establishes that it is the operating air carrier that is liable, and as a result the Department for Transport does not collect this specific information.</p><p> </p><p>The CAA monitors airline compliance with EC Regulation 261/2004 regularly, and where necessary the CAA has taken enforcement action against airlines.</p><p> </p><p>The link below illustrates the CAA’s role in relation to Alternative Dispute Resolution.</p><p><a href="http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP1602_ADR%20in%20the%20aviation%20sector%20–%20a%20first%20review.pdf" target="_blank">http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP1602_ADR%20in%20the%20aviation%20sector%20–%20a%20first%20review.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 11/09/2018 13:41:03 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

963990

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Private Rented Housing: Housing Benefit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to end discrimination against housing benefit claimants by private sector landlords.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	169779
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2018 answer text <p>The Government appreciates the problems that housing benefit claimants can sometimes face in finding accommodation in the private rented sector. We strongly encourage landlords and agents to consider all potential and existing tenants claiming housing benefit on an individual basis. We have published a new How to Let guide on 26 June to help landlords better understand their rights and responsibilities. At present, the English Housing Survey Headline Report 2016-17 (published February 2018) shows that 22 per cent of households privately renting are in receipt of housing benefit.</p><p>A number of MHCLG policies work to combat discrimination and unfair practices. These include the introduction, in April 2018, of banning orders and a database of rogue landlords and agents designed to remove the worst landlords and agents from the sector. The requirement, since 1 October 2014, for letting and managing agents in England to belong to a Government approved redress scheme, giving tenants access to free dispute resolution where problems, including those related to discrimination, occur in relation to their agent. In addition, we are committed to requiring all landlords to be members of a redress scheme to ensure that all tenants, not just those who use agents, have access to quick and easy dispute resolution when things go wrong. Our eight week consultation on strengthening redress in housing closed on 16 April. We are analysing responses with a view to publishing a Government response in the Autumn.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 06/09/2018 14:45:24 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

963991

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Married People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many leave to remain applications were rejected from applicants married to habitually resident British subjects in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	169780
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>Published data on decisions on applications for extension to stay is available here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/734168/extensions-jun-2018-tables.ods" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/734168/extensions-jun-2018-tables.ods</a>.</p><p>Refer to tab ex_01_q and select ‘Family’</p><p>The data does not capture ‘applicants married to habitually resident British subjects’</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 11/09/2018 12:45:55 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

963992

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 28 of the Government's 2017 Drug Strategy, published in July 2017, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) potential benefits and disbenefits of the proposals to use locally retained business rates for the funding of alcohol treatment services and (b) effect of those proposals on the provision of such services in deprived areas.
tabling member constituency	Bermondsey and Old Southwark
tabling member printed	Neil Coyle
uin	169387
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>It is for individual local authorities to decide what resources to commit to different public health services, including alcohol treatment services, to meet the needs of their local populations.</p><p> </p><p>Under the current system of 50% retained business rates, local authorities that receive more in business rates income than their baseline funding level contribute through a tariff, which is used to top up local authorities that receive less business rates income than their baseline funding level.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has been clear that under any future system there will continue to be redistribution of business rates between local authorities to take account of their relative needs.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 11/09/2018 16:11:00 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	4368 label Biography information for Neil Coyle

963994

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Homelessness: Domestic Abuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to protect people who have fled domestic violence and are homeless.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	169782
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>Domestic abuse is a devastating crime that nobody should have to suffer. Supporting victims of domestic abuse is an absolute priority for this Government. Councils have a legal duty to provide accommodation to families and others who are vulnerable as a result of fleeing domestic abuse. The Homelessness Reduction Act requires councils to take reasonable steps for all eligible households who are homeless, to help them secure accommodation. The Homelessness Code of Guidance also makes clear that local authorities should not limit their understanding of domestic abuse to physical violence alone, and that in all cases involving domestic abuse, the safety of the victim is paramount.</p><p>We are overhauling the statutory homelessness data collection alongside the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act. This will give us better insights into the causes of homelessness and the support people needs of people who approach their local authority for homelessness assistance, including people fleeing domestic violence.</p><p>We are also continuing to support the Women’s Aid Routes to Support and No Woman Turned Away projects, having already provided almost £889,000 between 2015 and 2018 for these projects. Routes to Support (formerly UK Refuges online) is part-funded by the Government and is a UK-wide online database containing information about domestic abuse and other violence against women services. No Woman Turned Away provides caseworker support to women facing difficulties in accessing refuge, including those at risk of or who have been sleeping rough or experiencing homelessness.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 11/09/2018 15:27:14 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

963995

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Nisai Group
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to ensure that schools are adequately funded to deliver the Nisai learning programme.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	169783
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>It is for schools and local authorities (for children in alternative provision or with education, health and care plans) to decide what support will best meet the needs of pupils, taking account of their individual needs.</p><p> </p><p>We have provided an additional £140 million in high needs funding in 2018-19 and will provide an additional £120 million in 2019-20. Previously underfunded local authorities will see increases in 2019-20 of up to 6% compared to what they planned to spend in 2017-18.</p><p> </p><p>In Cheshire East, the local authority will receive £34.1 million in high needs funding in 2018-19, 2% more than in 2017-18. Figures for each local authority can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2018-to-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2018-to-2019</a>.</p><p> </p><p>We are also monitoring the impact of our national funding formula for high needs on local authority spending decisions, and are keeping the overall amount of funding for high needs under review.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 11/09/2018 12:19:00 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

963996

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support existing programmes aimed at helping to ensure that the views of disadvantaged children in (a) London and (b) other parts of England are taken into consideration by decision-making organisations.
tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
uin	169167
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>My department is committed to hearing the views of service users, which includes disadvantaged children.</p><p>Recently, we have developed a number of ways for young people to be involved in shaping the Opportunity Areas programme.</p><p>In Norwich, for example, a youth board challenges the programme strategy. The youth board has also developed interventions for the area. It is hosting a celebration event in September to ‎share their experiences of living in Norwich and to discuss what social mobility means to them.</p><p>We also fund a number of research projects, in London and elsewhere, that involve disadvantaged children. These include our pilots on free holiday activities and meals for disadvantaged families.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 11/09/2018 12:15:35 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter