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1149191

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a mandatory and consistent (a) UK-wide logo and (b) on pack information for compostable food packaging; and what plans her Department has to introduce such a policy.
	tabling member constituency	Scunthorpe
	tabling member printed	Nic Dakin
	uin	524
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The Resources and Waste Strategy analysed the challenges currently facing the recycling industry in this country, setting out how we would tackle these challenges. Building on commitments in the Strategy we launched a consultation earlier this year on reforming the packaging producer responsibility system, as part of that consultation the Government proposed a mandatory UK-wide labelling system that provides clear information to help people to recycle. Following strong support for the proposal from consultation respondents, the Government is minded to take forward a mandatory labelling scheme subject to further analysis and legal considerations. Defra officials are exploring how a mandatory labelling scheme can address consumer confusion about what to do with compostable packaging. The consultation closed on 13 May and the summary of responses and next steps can be found via the below link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/packaging-waste-changing-the-uk-producer-responsibility-system-for-packaging-waste" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/packaging-waste-changing-the-uk-producer-responsibility-system-for-packaging-waste</a></p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that innovation into compostable and biodegradable plastics could help reduce the environmental impacts of plastics if they are disposed of in the right way. However, this is often not the case. If these plastics are put in the domestic waste bin, for example, they are likely to end up in landfill and can break down to release powerful greenhouse gases, such as methane. If mistakenly recycled with other plastics, they have the potential to damage the quality of the new products made from the recycled plastic. Furthermore, concerns persist that plastics which are claimed to be biodegradable, if littered or otherwise released into the environment in an uncontrolled way, may not degrade quickly or at all, and they can only be composted if they meet relevant standards.</p><p> </p><p>As a consequence of these concerns, the Government published a call for evidence in July 2019 to help consider the development of standards or certification criteria for bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics as well as to better understand their effects on the environment and our current waste system. The call for evidence closed on the 14 October 2019 and we are currently analysing the responses received to inform future policy. We currently do not have plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the matter of requiring any form of plastic packaging to be compostable.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 525 526 question first answered 22/10/2019 14:39:28 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	4056 label Biography information for Nic Dakin

1149086

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2019
	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	Acanthamoeba Keratitis: Health Education
	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 the Government is taking to work with manufacturers of contact lenses to educate people on how to minimise the risk of contracting Acanthamoeba Keratitis.
	tabling member constituency	The Wrekin
	tabling member printed	Mark Pritchard
	uin	265
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for monitoring the safety of all healthcare products in the UK.</p><p>Following reports of infections that have led to sight loss due to Acanthamoeba Keratitis (AK), the MHRA participated in the Love your Lenses Campaign organised by the General Optical Council with involvement and support from manufacturers and opticians. The main aim of this campaign is to increase the effectiveness of aftercare information given to contact lens wearers. Details of the campaign can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.loveyourlenses.com/" target="_blank">https://www.loveyourlenses.com/</a></p><p>The MHRA’s website also highlights the risks of AK and offers guidance and advice for patients to prevent injury and infection. The website can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/medical-devices-information-for-users-and-patients" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/medical-devices-information-for-users-and-patients</a></p><p>In the United Kingdom, the Opticians Act restricts the sale and supply of contact lenses, including ‘zero powered’ (plano) contact lenses, to registered optometrists, dispensing opticians, and medical practitioners. An optometrist examining a patient wishing to wear contact lenses has a duty to assess the patient's suitability for contact lenses and provide the patient with an appropriate lens care regimen, including information on the care, wearing, treatment, cleaning and maintenance of the lens or lenses.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 22/10/2019 11:20:12 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
	tabling member	1576 label Biography information for Mark Pritchard

1148785

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Adult Education: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to extend full fee remission for adult education courses to full time carers under Adult Education Budget rules.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
	tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
	uin	174
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The Adult Education Budget (AEB) currently supports 3 legal entitlements to full funding for eligible adult learners:</p><ul><li>English and maths, up to and including level 2, for individuals aged 19+, who have not previously attained a GCSE grade A* - C or grade 4, or higher.</li><li>First full qualification at level 2 for individuals aged 19 - 23.</li><li>First full qualification at level 3 for individuals aged 19 - 23.</li></ul><p> </p><p>A fourth legal entitlement to fully funded specified digital skills qualifications for adults, aged 19+, with no or low digital skills will come into effect from 1 August 2020.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the AEB supports delivery of flexible tailored provision for adults up to level 2 which is either fully funded or co-funded depending on a learner’s age, prior attainment and circumstances.</p><p><strong> <br> </strong>For the 2019/20 academic year, the AEB is continuing a trial to support those in work on low incomes, which allows providers to fully fund eligible learners on low wages, who would otherwise be eligible for co-funding. The trial will apply in respect of learners who are resident outside of devolved areas.</p><p> </p><p>From August 2019, approximately 50% of the AEB has been devolved to 6 Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Mayor of London, through the Greater London Authority. They are now responsible for commissioning and funding AEB provision for learners resident in their areas.</p><p>The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) remains responsible for funding learners resident in non-devolved areas. For those learners, we will continue to consider how we can most effectively support learners. However, currently there are no current plans to extend full fee remission to full time carers under the ESFA AEB funding rules.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 22/10/2019 16:50:21 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
	tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1148975

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2019
	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	Affordable Housing
	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 his Department's definition of subsidy is as used in Annex 2A of the definition of affordable housing in the National Planning Framework.
	tabling member constituency	South West Devon
	tabling member printed	Sir Gary Streeter
	uin	25
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The National Planning Policy Framework provides a definition of affordable housing for planning purposes. Within that, section a) provides a definition of affordable housing for rent. This includes a provision that homes remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.</p><p>The reference to subsidy within this section usually relates to where government has provided capital grant, in particular grant funding provided through the Affordable Homes Programme.</p> answering member constituency Tatton answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 22/10/2019 12:11:31 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	234 label Biography information for Sir Gary Streeter

1149728

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Afghanistan: Armed Forces
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the contract with thebigword to provide interpreting and translation services to the United Kingdom armed forces in Afghanistan will be reviewed.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
	uin	HL21
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>Joint Forces Command manages the current contract with The Big Word. However, this is being replaced with contract award expected in the first half of next year. Included in the Statement of Requirement - which bidders will quote against - is the new policy relating to threats and intimidation of interpreters in theatre.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 22/10/2019 15:16:58 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
	tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149726

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Afghanistan: Interpreters
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Earl Howe on 17 June (HL Deb, col 655), whether the Ministry of Defence review of security clearance procedures for Afghan interpreters who have been relocated to the United Kingdom has been completed; and, if so, what changes have been made to facilitate their employment by NATO.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
	uin	HL19
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The review of security clearance policy for interpreters deployed in support of military operations is ongoing and nearing its conclusion. In the interim, requests by interpreters for security clearances are being considered on a case-by-case basis.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 22/10/2019 15:17:54 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
	tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149483

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	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	Age: Discrimination
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to tackle ageism in the workplace.
	tabling member constituency	Cheltenham
	tabling member printed	Alex Chalk
	uin	735
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The Equality Act 2010, provides strong protection against direct and indirect age discrimination in employment and makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee or a job applicant because of their age, unless the employer can justify it as a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.</p><p> </p><p>To tackle ageism in the workplace, Business in the Community have produced a toolkit which provides guidance and support to employers in getting started with age inclusion in the workplace and includes a three-step process based on Look, Listen, Act. <a href="https://age.bitc.org.uk/all-resources/toolkits/getting-started-age-look-listen-act-toolkit-will-guide-and-support-getting" target="_blank">https://age.bitc.org.uk/all-resources/toolkits/getting-started-age-look-listen-act-toolkit-will-guide-and-support-getting</a></p><p> </p><p>More widely, Government is taking steps to ensure that older workers are supported to remain in or return to the labour market, the Government has removed the Default Retirement Age meaning most people can choose when to retire, and extended the right to request flexible working to all employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer.</p><p> </p><p>In February 2017, the UK Government published “Fuller Working Lives: a partnership approach” to set out the role employers, individuals and Government can play in supporting fuller working lives.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/587654/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/587654/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also appointed Andy Briggs as Business Champion for Older Workers to spearhead the Government’s work to support employers to retain, retrain and recruit older workers. Andy Briggs and the Business In The Community Age at Work leadership team actively promote the benefits of older workers to employers across England.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 22/10/2019 09:10:22 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1149474

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Carbon Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to establish (a) a baseline for existing carbon dioxide emissions from agriculture (b) an agreed methodology for measuring emissions and (c) a pathway for zero emissions by 2050 and a methodology for assessing progress towards that target; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
	tabling member printed	Alan Brown
	uin	730
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p><em>a) </em>In the UK, agricultural Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions statistics are calculated and updated annually, with the data forming part of the UK’s National GHG Inventory. The UK’s reporting methodology is built on scientific understanding developed through the joint Defra-Devolved Administration funded £12.6m Agricultural GHG Research Platform. As such it accurately reflects and captures UK agricultural conditions and practices.</p><p> </p><p>Government also publishes emissions data online, the most recent update from April this year is available here:</p><p><a href="https://data.gov.uk/dataset/9a1e58e5-d1b6-457d-a414-335ca546d52c/provisional-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics" target="_blank">https://data.gov.uk/dataset/9a1e58e5-d1b6-457d-a414-335ca546d52c/provisional-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p><em>b) </em>The methodology used to estimate emissions from agriculture is compliant with guidelines set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This ensures transparency, accuracy, completeness and allows comparisons between countries. Along with 193 other signatories to the Paris Agreement, the UK has committed to using a common approach on emissions reporting, which is vital for robust and consistent reporting of global GHG emissions reductions.</p><p> </p><p><em>c) </em>On 27 June, the UK became the first major economy in the world to set a legally binding target to achieve net zero [100% reductions] GHG emissions from across the UK economy by 2050, bound by the Climate Change Act. The Act also introduced carbon budgets which cap emissions over successive 5-year periods and must be set 12 years in advance.</p><p> </p><p>The Committee on Climate Change, our independent advisors, assesses emissions data to judge whether the UK is on course to meet its carbon budgets, and reports this progress to Parliament and the Devolved Administrations annually. The Government then has a statutory obligation to respond to this advice, laying out the progress and policies underway to meet our targets.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This week the Government announced that a new independent Office for Environmental Protection will be established to scrutinise environmental policy and law. The office’s powers will cover all climate change legislation and hold the Government to account on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the importance of reducing emissions further in the food, farming and land use sectors. The Clean Growth Strategy and the 25 Year Environment Plan set out the Government’s ambition for how this will be achieved, including through environmental land management, strengthening biosecurity and control of endemic diseases in livestock, and encouraging use of low emissions fertilisers.</p><p> </p><p>This year we have started developing a new emissions reduction plan for agriculture, in which we will set out our long-term vision for a more productive, low-carbon farming sector in England.</p><p> </p><p>Our new Environmental Land Management Scheme will be underpinned by payment of public money for the provision of environmental public goods. Trees and woodland can contribute to numerous environmental goods and services. Activities to be paid for may include tree planting and woodland creation, and woodland management, including through natural regeneration. Trees and woodlands have multiple benefits and can contribute to many of the environmental outcomes we want to achieve, including mitigation of and adaption to climate change.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 22/10/2019 13:53:49 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1149282

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	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	Air Ambulance Services: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding he is allocating to air ambulance services.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	561
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The Autumn 2018 Budget announced £10 million of capital funding to support air ambulance services. This funding has been allocated to nine charities across England with successful bids which represented the best value for money and positive patient impact. The allocation will fund upgrades to seven operational airbases, including training facilities and fundraising headquarters. There were also three successful bids for critical care cars and medical equipment, and one bid for a new helicopter.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 22/10/2019 15:34:24 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1149274

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Armed Conflict: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support children in conflict zones throughout the world.
	tabling member constituency	Woking
	tabling member printed	Mr Jonathan Lord
	uin	554
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>​The UK is firmly committed to protecting all children affected by conflict and in particular ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers. The UK is the largest single financial contributor to the Office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), contributing £800,000 over the last five years to her Office and £450,000 for the 2019/20 financial year in support of her mandate. The UK is an active member of the United Nations Working Group on CAAC which leads the international response on child protection, supporting the SRSG's work by applying diplomatic pressure to listed governments and armed groups.</p><p>In 2018, the UK endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, a political commitment to reduce the impact of conflict on education, and the Vancouver Principles, a political commitment to operationalise child protection during the conduct of United Nations peacekeeping operations. We continue to support these key instruments. The UK is mainstreaming child protection into its own military deployments through bespoke training. Through the Department for International Development, we are one of the largest bilateral donors to &quot;Education Cannot Wait&quot;, an initiative which protects access to education for children in conflict zones.</p><p>In November 2019, the UK will host an international conference on preventing sexual violence in conflict. A key focus will be how we can better support children born of sexual violence in conflict, including tackling stigma.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 22/10/2019 15:51:23 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
	tabling member	4090 label Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord