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1126193

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Criminal Proceedings: Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the wellbeing of victims of sexual assault of undergoing cross-examination during the court process.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	253586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>In the Government’s first ever cross-government Victim’s Strategy, we committed to make the court environment more victim friendly and to improve access to special measures.</p><p>Victims may be provided with a wide range of special measures to help them give their best evidence in court. The measures available include the power for a court to order arrangements for live video links, video recorded evidence in chief, and screens around the witness box, and from this summer an additional special measure - pre-recorded cross-examination - will be will be available for witnesses who are adult complainants in sexual offences, in three courts - Liverpool, Leeds and Kingston upon Thames. This marks delivery of another commitment in the Victims Strategy published in September 2018.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 21/05/2019 14:53:25 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1127075

	registered interest
	date	16/05/2019
	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	Thusiyan Nandakumar
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on threats made against Dr Thusiyan Nandakumar arising from an interview broadcast by the BBC on 21 April 2019 on terror attacks in Sri Lanka.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	255304
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>​We are aware of threats made against Dr Thusiyan Nandakumar following an interview broadcast on 21 April. The appropriate avenue to pursue the issue of threats is through the UK police. The UK is committed to supporting freedom of speech and supports those who seek to exercise their right to freedom of expression.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 21/05/2019 14:32:27 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1127190

	registered interest
	date	16/05/2019
	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	Fracking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much (a) official development aid and (b) non-official development aid has been spent via the Prosperity Fund by his Department to provide fracking expertise to foreign Governments since 2016.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham North
	tabling member printed	Alex Norris
	uin	255376
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>Through the Prosperity Fund, the FCO has spent around £87,000 Official Development Assistance (ODA) on projects intended to improve the environmental regulation of shale gas development in China since 2016.</p><p>The UK regulatory regime for Shale gas is considered among the most robust and stringent in the world. Sharing UK expertise within the UK oil and gas sector, including on environmental regulation, can help ensure that the exploration or development of resources like natural gas is done to a high standard and is managed as part of a transition to low carbon energy system, as well as supporting economic development and poverty reduction</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 21/05/2019 14:36:05 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	4641 label Biography information for Alex Norris

1126811

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Railways: Fares
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the cost of rail fares to the EU from the UK will be affected by the UK leaving the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	254788
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>Fares for international passenger services between the UK and the EU are set by the relevant train operator on a commercial basis. Any potential change in fares is therefore a commercial matter for the operators concerned.</p> answering member constituency Epsom and Ewell answering member printed Chris Grayling question first answered 21/05/2019 14:35:53 answering member 1413 label Biography information for Chris Grayling
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1126040

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Department for Transport: Former Ministers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has paid to hon. Members under section 4 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 since 13 July 2016.
	tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
	tabling member printed	Justin Madders
	uin	253610
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>Section 4 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 sets out Ministers’ entitlement to severance payments. Any such payments are published in the Department’s audited annual accounts, and these accounts can be found on gov.uk.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 21/05/2019 14:22:05 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1126130

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Department for Transport: Brexit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in his Department who were transferred or seconded to work (a) in other departments or (b) on other departmental briefs on preparations for the UK to leave the EU, have since returned to his Department.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	253459
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department has not historically collected information about the nature of work of members of staff on loan, transfer or secondment.</p><p>Of the information that is available, as at 30th April 2019, there were 5 or fewer staff from the Department for Transport on active loan to the Department for Exiting the European Union who have since returned. However, the Department is unable to confirm the exact nature of work carried out.</p><p>Due to the small number of instances, the exact figure is being withheld, as releasing this could lead to identification of individuals.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To prepare for the UK to leave the EU, the Department has reviewed and reprioritised workforce plans. This includes identification and cessation of non-priority work where appropriate. These plans have remained flexible to respond to the resourcing needs for the Department as this has changed over time.</p><p>The Department is not able to provide a figure on how many people within DfT have changed role, or the nature of how their work has changed, as a result of the Department’s preparations to leave the EU because this is not recorded in any HR systems.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 21/05/2019 14:05:23 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126487

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Renewable Energy: Cooperatives
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps his Department has taken to support communities to set up renewable energy co-operatives.
	tabling member constituency	Croydon North
	tabling member printed	Mr Steve Reed
	uin	254193
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>I continue to believe that Community Energy remains an important part of the energy system, delivering energy efficiency and demand management, supporting switching and engaging the wider community on the key challenges of the energy transition and wider climate change as well as owning generation assets.</p><p> </p><p>Renewable Energy co-operatives are one of the business models that we support and was a key part of the criteria in a number of community initiatives and support mechanisms the department funded in the past. This will also be the case for the Rural Community Energy fund which will reopen at the end of this month and provide grants to community groups for feasibility studies and development of business cases for local energy projects.</p><p> </p><p>We also work closely with community networks like Community Energy England who manage the community energy hub which shares best practice, case studies and as part of that provides advice and support for the creation of community energy co-operatives.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 21/05/2019 14:57:44 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed

1126943

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Greenhouse Gas Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to reduce greenhouses gases to zero by 2050.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	254767
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government is convinced of the need for urgent action on climate change, which is why we asked the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) for advice last October on the implications of the Paris Agreement for the UK’s long-term emissions reduction targets, including on setting a net zero target.</p><p> </p><p>The CCC published their advice to Government on 2 May 2019. It sets out a path for the UK to become the first major economy to legislate to end our contribution to global warming entirely. We are studying the CCC’s comprehensive, ground-breaking report, and are committed to responding in due course.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 21/05/2019 14:55:14 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1126124

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in his Department who were transferred or seconded to work (a) in other departments or (b) on other departmental briefs on preparations for the UK to leave the EU, have since returned to his Department.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	253454
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>EU departure is an all-of-Government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is responsible for overseeing negotiations to leave the EU and establishing the future relationship between the UK and EU. The Department for International Trade works to secure UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade.<strong><br></strong></p><p>Departments continually review workforce plans and reprioritise and assess changing needs, which includes identification and cessation of non-priority work where appropriate. We have accelerated our plans, and at the same time, the Civil Service as a whole is working to ensure that exit implementation is carried out to a high standard without impacting public service delivery across the whole of Government.</p><p>For Defra, information relating to all staff who have been transferred or loaned to another department since June 2016 is provided below. We are not able to confirm how many of these were related to exit roles as this information is not held.</p><p>We have interpreted the second part of the question relating to ‘other departmental briefs’ as those working on projects with or in other departments through any informal arrangement that is not a formal loan or secondment. Based on this interpretation, Defra does not hold this data and is unable to provide this information.</p><p>The information is from June 2016 – present.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Total number of staff transferred to another Government department (OGD) between June 16 – March 19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>445</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number of staff transferred to an OGD who have since returned to Defra</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total number of staff loaned to an OGD between June 19 – March 19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>118*</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number of staff loaned to an OGD who have since returned to Defra</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>14</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>*This figure includes 30 loans where the end dates are between May 2019 and January 2022, and therefore we would not expect staff to have returned to Defra. All loans are generally for a period of two years.</p><p> </p><p>We do not use the term ‘secondment’ to refer to Civil Servants moving between departments, instead we use the term ‘loan’. Therefore we have interpreted this question to refer to those who have moved to other departments on loans.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/05/2019 14:09:10 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126504

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	Animal Welfare
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to (a) ensure local authorities have a duty to provide access to a fully trained Animal Welfare Inspector with responsibility for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and (b) provide additional funding for that role; what estimate he has made of the number of local authorities that do not employ an Animal Welfare Inspector; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	254174
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, local authorities, the Animal &amp; Plant Health Agency and the police all have powers of entry to inspect complaints of suspected animal cruelty and take out prosecutions where necessary. Local authorities must be able to make decisions based on local needs and resource priorities and the arrangements that work best for them. It is for local authorities to determine how to prioritise their resources. We do not hold data centrally on the number of inspectors appointed under the Act.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities will often work in close partnership with others, such as the RSPCA, to ensure that the welfare of animals is protected. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 allows anyone to be able to investigate allegations of animal neglect and if necessary take forward a prosecution and it is on this basis that the RSPCA have been enforcing animal welfare legislation in this country. Although they have no specific powers under the 2006 Act, the RSPCA do investigate allegations of cruelty and successfully prosecute 800 to 1,000 people each year.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/05/2019 14:57:36 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas