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1109019

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Food Banks: Scotland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the level of foodbank use in Scotland.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	240070
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions has not made an assessment of the levels of foodbank use in Scotland.</p><p>The welfare system provides a strong safety net for those who need it, spending over £95 billion a year on welfare benefits for people of working age. This includes a well-established system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans as an additional safeguard for those who need them.</p><p> </p><p>Jobcentre mangers have discretion to work with food banks in their local area; and we are exploring how to build on current good practice to make it as easy as possible for food banks to identify and refer back to the local Jobcentre any customers who may not be receiving the full formal support to which they are entitled</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 08/04/2019 15:57:42 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1125925

	registered interest
	date	10/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Food Banks
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the sanctions system on levels of foodbank use among claimants.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	252866
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not keep official statistics on foodback use as there are many reasons why people use foodbanks.</p><p>Nevertheless, as a measured safeguard The Department offers financial support to those claimants who have been sanctioned. We have a well-established system of hardship payments for claimants who cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs, including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene, as a result of their sanction.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/05/2019 15:21:59 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1050471

	registered interest
	date	29/01/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Knives: Crime
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle incidents of knife crime on the railways.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	214072
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 answer text <p>The chances of being a victim of crime, on the railways or elsewhere, remain extremely low. However, the Government is very concerned about increases in knife crime and its impact on victims, families and communities. The action we are taking is set out in our Serious Violence Strategy and includes new legislation in the Offensive Weapons Bill and continuing police action under Operation Sceptre. The British Transport Police also participate in Operation Sceptre and we expect the next national week of action to take place in March 2019.</p><p>More widely, we have also been supporting the #knifefree media campaign to raise awareness of the consequences of knife crime and discourage young people from carrying knives more generally. The Serious Violence Strategy includes a strong focus on prevention and early intervention to stop young people being drawn in to knife crime. Our Early Intervention Youth Fund of £22 million is already supporting 29 projects in England and Wales. Over £17 million has already been allocated to projects delivering interventions to young people at risk of criminal involvement, gang exploitation and county lines.</p><p>We are supporting 68 small community projects this year through the anti-knife crime Community Fund. In addition, we have extended our support for Redthread in hospital emergency departments to introduce its “teachable moment” youth violence intervention work to hospi-tals in Birmingham and Nottingham.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 26/02/2019 15:31:01 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

933910

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2018
	answering body	Women and Equalities
	answering dept id	31
	answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
	answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
	hansard heading	Paternity Leave
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government is taking steps to give fathers (a) longer and (b) better-paid paternity leave.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	159697
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2018 answer text <p>We know that helping parents to share care is good for parents and children, particularly in the crucial early months of their child’s life.</p><p>The Shared Parental Leave and Pay schemes enable fathers and partners to be their child’s main carer if this is best for the family. Qualifying working couples can share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay. From February to April 2018, the Government ran a joint £1.5m campaign to promote Shared Parental Leave.</p><p>As part of the evaluation of Shared Parental Leave and Pay we are collecting information on the take up of paternity benefits, including survey data on the take up of paternity leave and pay, which will inform the development of policy in this area.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 09/07/2018 13:45:26 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

862326

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2018
	answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
	answering dept id	203
	answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
	answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
	hansard heading	Borders: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what plans the Secretary of State has to visit the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the next 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	132745
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2018 answer text <p>The Secretary of State’s future travel programme takes into account a range of high priority issues. The Secretary of State has been to the border, prior to his appointment to his current role, and is very much apprised of the sensitivities and importance of this critical issue.</p><p> </p><p>He previously visited Northern Ireland in September 2016 meeting with the then Northern Ireland Executive and stakeholders. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Robin Walker MP, visited Northern Ireland with former Northern Ireland Office Minister Chloe Smith in September 2017, visiting the border and meeting with Re-Gen waste and InterTradeIreland.</p><p> </p><p>Northern Ireland Office Ministers have also conducted an extensive programme of engagement in Northern Ireland on EU exit with a wide range of stakeholders. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland visited the border earlier this month.</p> answering member constituency Fareham answering member printed Suella Fernandes question first answered 20/03/2018 16:06:26 answering member 4475 label Biography information for Suella Braverman
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

867081

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2018
	answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
	answering dept id	203
	answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
	answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
	hansard heading	British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what plans he has to meet representatives of British in Europe to discuss the effect of the UK leaving the EU on UK citizens living in non-UK, EU countries.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	133199
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2018 answer text <p>Throughout this process, Ministers and senior officials from the Department for Exiting the European Union have spoken with delegates from groups representing UK nationals in the EU, including representatives of British in Europe, to hear their views and concerns. Our Embassies and Ambassadors in the EU 27 have also engaged extensively with the UK communities in their host states.</p><p><strong><br></strong>All UK nationals legally resident in the EU before the end of the implementation period, 31 December 2020, will fall under the Citizens’ Rights part of Withdrawal Agreement. This is an agreement that gives people more certainty about residence, healthcare, pensions and other benefits. As negotiations progress we will continue to work in the interests of our nationals to reach a final deal that is in the mutual interests of citizens living across the continent.</p> answering member constituency Fareham answering member printed Suella Fernandes question first answered 26/03/2018 16:33:17 answering member 4475 label Biography information for Suella Braverman
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

964796

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2018
	answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
	answering dept id	203
	answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
	answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
	hansard heading	Brexit: Negotiations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent progress he has made on negotiations with the EU on the UK leaving the EU; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	169701
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>As the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union set out in his oral statement to the House on Tuesday 4 September, we have injected additional pace and intensity into the negotiations as we reach the final phases and we are confident a deal is within our grasp.</p><p>The Government’s White Paper supplies a precise, responsible and credible basis for moving negotiations forward to achieve a deal that works in our mutual interest. We expect the EU to engage seriously with the proposals and both negotiating teams to work at pace to reach a substantive agreement on the Future Framework in the autumn.</p><p>The vast majority of the Withdrawal Agreement has also been agreed and we have made further progress across a range of the outstanding separation issues, including the protection of data and information, the treatment of ongoing police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters, and ongoing Union judicial and administrative procedures after exit.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Fareham answering member printed Suella Braverman question first answered 12/09/2018 10:26:41 answering member 4475 label Biography information for Suella Braverman
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

837498

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2018
	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	Cystic Fibrosis: Drugs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Kalydeco as a treatment for people with cystic fibrosis.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	126617
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2018 answer text <p>During the last five years, NHS England commissioned a health technology assessment to review the clinical evidence for Kalydeco (Ivacaftor) and decided at the time that it would support its use to treat one gene mutation. Subsequently it has broadened use for other gene mutations following further evidence reviews.</p><p> </p><p>For commissioned drugs such as Kalydeco (Ivacaftor) for named mutations, prescribing decisions are made by multidisciplinary teams in hospitals commissioned by NHS England to provide specialised services for adults and children with cystic fibrosis.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England is investing significant resources into the provision of Kalydeco which works directly on the genes causing cystic fibrosis and in medicines that reduce the impact of the disease.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust jointly collect outcomes data through the Cystic Fibrosis Registry to inform better management of the disease.</p><p> </p><p>Information about specialised National Health Service commissioning is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/group-a/a01/" target="_blank">https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/group-a/a01/</a></p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 08/02/2018 17:09:59 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

850828

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2018
	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	NHS: Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on staffing levels in the NHS.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	130055
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2018 answer text <p>NHS Digital publishes data on the nationality of staff working in the National Health Service in England and the latest figures show that there were over 3,200 more European Union nationals working in the NHS in September 2017 than before the referendum result.</p><p>The Government is committed to ensuring that the NHS and social care system have the nurses, midwives, doctors, carers and other health professionals that it needs<em>.</em></p><p>We continue to monitor and analyse overall staffing levels across the NHS and adult social care, and we are working across Government to ensure there will continue to be sufficient staff to deliver the high quality services on which patients rely following the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU.</p><p>On 8 December, the UK and EU Commission reached an agreement which delivered on the Prime Minister’s number one priority, to safeguard the rights of people who have built their lives in the UK and EU, following the UK’s exit from the EU.</p><p>The agreement will guarantee the rights of the 150,000 EU nationals working in our health and care system. It means that EU citizens living lawfully in the UK and UK nationals living lawfully in the EU by 29 March 2019 will be able to stay and enjoy broadly the same rights and benefits as they do now.</p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Stephen Barclay grouped question UIN 130123 question first answered 07/03/2018 10:39:47 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1126092

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	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	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
	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 recent assessment he has made of the trends in the level of vacancy rates in town centre business properties.
	tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
	tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
	uin	253694
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>Town centres and high streets are a crucial part of our communities and the Government is determined to see these areas thriving, both now and in the future.</p><p>The Department receives vacancy rate data on retail units from the Local Data Company which has enabled the Department to monitor the change in these vacancy rates over time at a national level. The data demonstrates that retail vacancy rates peaked at 14.6 per cent in August 2012. Although there have been fluctuations in the rate, it has not reached this high point since and current figures show this rate is at 12.9 per cent in May 2019.</p><p>At Autumn budget we set out ‘Our Plan for the High Street’ to support the sustainable transformation of high streets, including a £675 million Future High Streets Fund, a High Streets Task Force and measures on business rates and planning. We also launched a pilot of our Open Doors project in November 2018, which brings empty properties back into use by linking landlords of vacant units with community groups looking for space.</p> answering member constituency Rossendale and Darwen answering member printed Jake Berry question first answered 20/05/2019 14:35:33 answering member 4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry
	tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney