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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

1149471

	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	Access to Work Programme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Access To Work grants have been awarded in (a) Birkenhead and (b) the UK; and what the total value of those grants was in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	451
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>To get help from Access to Work you must live in England, Scotland or Wales – there is a different system in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p><p><strong>England, Scotland or Wales: </strong></p><p> </p><p>Number of people who receive an Access to Work payment and total Access to Work expenditure are published annually as part of the Access to Work statistics which can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2019</a></p><p> </p><p>Please see specifically:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Table 6: The number of people who received a payment for any Access to Work provision of each type, 2009/10 - 2018/19</li><li>Table 11: Expenditure on Access to Work provision, 2009/10 - 2018/19 (Nominal Terms)</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>The tables below show the number of people in Birkenhead who received an Access to Work grant payment in the last five financial years and the total value of those grants.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Birkenhead:</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018/19</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number of people who received an Access to Work payment</strong></p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>60</p></td><td><p>80</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Access to Work Expenditure</strong></p></td><td><p>£97,000</p></td><td><p>£90,000</p></td><td><p>£98,000</p></td><td><p>£110,000</p></td><td><p>£153,000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Please note:</p><p> </p><ol><li>In some cases, Access to Work provision is approved however a DWP payment is not required, for example because provision can be provided at no cost or the employer covers the relevant costs. These cases are not captured above.</li><li>The same person can receive payment for more than one grant of Access to Work of the same type or of different types in a given financial year or in different financial years. The table above shows the number of people who received a payment for one or more Elements in each financial year.</li><li>Expenditure figures have been calculated using a methodology consistent with that used in the published Access to Work statistics. Please see the background information and methodology note for more information, in particular the “Weighting” section on pages 8-9.</li></ol><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-statistics-background-information-and-methodology" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-statistics-background-information-and-methodology</a></p><ol start="4"><li>Access to Work expenditure for Birkenhead is based on residency of the beneficiary as opposed to place of work.</li><li>Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 due to the weighting methodology used (see Note 3).</li><li>Number of people who received an Access to Work payment are rounded to the nearest 10 (in line with the published statistics).</li></ol><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 21/10/2019 13:48:28 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1149347

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy that an individual's support for drugs policy reform is compatible with membership of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
	tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
	uin	588
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>Ministers appoint members to the boards of public bodies that are listed in the Public Appointments Order in Council including the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) via the process laid out in the Governance Code for Public Appointments, and in accordance with the law relating to the particular public body.</p><p>The names of candidates are submitted to Ministers following assessment by an independent Advisory Assessment Panel. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and make the final appointment.</p><p>The Home Secretary and the ACMD have a joint working protocol which supports the respective roles and responsibilities of the Government and the ACMD. The protocol states that the ACMD continues to need to draw on a diverse range of expertise from within its membership, in order to fulfil its duties under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.</p><p>See <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/119041/workingprotocol.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/119041/workingprotocol.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 586 587 question first answered 21/10/2019 15:18:02 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

1149343

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs: Public Appointments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role Ministers have in the appointment of people to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
	tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
	uin	586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>Ministers appoint members to the boards of public bodies that are listed in the Public Appointments Order in Council including the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) via the process laid out in the Governance Code for Public Appointments, and in accordance with the law relating to the particular public body.</p><p>The names of candidates are submitted to Ministers following assessment by an independent Advisory Assessment Panel. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and make the final appointment.</p><p>The Home Secretary and the ACMD have a joint working protocol which supports the respective roles and responsibilities of the Government and the ACMD. The protocol states that the ACMD continues to need to draw on a diverse range of expertise from within its membership, in order to fulfil its duties under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.</p><p>See <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/119041/workingprotocol.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/119041/workingprotocol.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 587 588 question first answered 21/10/2019 15:18:02 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

1149346

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs: Public Appointments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ministers have vetoed appointments to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
	tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
	tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
	uin	587
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>Ministers appoint members to the boards of public bodies that are listed in the Public Appointments Order in Council including the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) via the process laid out in the Governance Code for Public Appointments, and in accordance with the law relating to the particular public body.</p><p>The names of candidates are submitted to Ministers following assessment by an independent Advisory Assessment Panel. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and make the final appointment.</p><p>The Home Secretary and the ACMD have a joint working protocol which supports the respective roles and responsibilities of the Government and the ACMD. The protocol states that the ACMD continues to need to draw on a diverse range of expertise from within its membership, in order to fulfil its duties under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.</p><p>See <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/119041/workingprotocol.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/119041/workingprotocol.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 586 588 question first answered 21/10/2019 15:18:02 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

1149407

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	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: South Gloucestershire
	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 ensure that the revised Joint Spatial Plan for South Gloucestershire allows the building of affordable homes in the Filton and Bradley Stoke area.
	tabling member constituency	Filton and Bradley Stoke
	tabling member printed	Jack Lopresti
	uin	617
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>Wherever possible we want to allow decisions about the future of areas to be taken locally without the involvement of central government.</p><p>Because of his quasi-judicial role in the planning system, the Secretary of State is unable to comment on the detail of local plans at examination. The authorities involved in the Joint Spatial Plan for the West of England, including South Gloucestershire, have choices to make about how they want to proceed with their plan given the recommendation from their Planning Inspectors that it should be withdrawn. The policies in any revised plan will be locally determined and will then be assessed by independent Inspectors for their soundness.</p><p>The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that housing needed for different groups in the community should be assessed and reflected in planning policies, including making sufficient provision for affordable housing.</p><p>The government is committed to increasing the supply of social housing and has delivered over 430,000 affordable homes since 2010. We have made £9 billion available through the Affordable Homes Programme to March 2022 to deliver approximately 250,000 new affordable homes of a wide range of tenures, including at least 12,500 for social rent.</p><p>On 18 September 2018 we announced an additional £2 billion of long term funding certainty for housing associations. This extra funding will deliver more affordable homes and stimulate the sector’s wider building ambitions, through strategic partnerships.</p><p>On 27 June 2019, we opened bidding on £1 billion of this funding through Homes England.</p><p><br></p> answering member constituency Tatton answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 23/10/2019 12:47:47 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	3989 label Biography information for Jack Lopresti

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

1149420

	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	Agomelatine
	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 adequacy of the supply of Agomelatine.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
	tabling member printed	David Linden
	uin	711
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department fully understands that maintaining access to agomelatine for the management of major depression is vitally important to many people in this country.</p><p>We are aware that Teva a supplier of generic agomelatine 25mg tablets discontinued supplies in July 2019. However, we can confirm that supplies of agomelatine 25mg tablets are currently available from several other suppliers in volumes that are sufficient to meet normal United Kingdom demand. All patients who require agomelatine should be able to obtain a supply from their pharmacy.</p><p>We continue to work closely with industry and partners in the health system to help prevent shortages and to ensure that the risks to patients are minimised when supply issues do arise.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 21/10/2019 16:57:20 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
	tabling member	4640 label Biography information for David Linden

1149421

	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	Agomelatine
	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 is taking to ensure the adequacy of the supply of Agomelatine in the event that the UK leaves the EU on 31 October 2019 without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
	tabling member printed	David Linden
	uin	712
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department is doing everything appropriate to prepare for leaving the European Union. We want to reassure patients that our plans should ensure the uninterrupted supply of medicines and medical products, including those for use in the treatment of depression, once we have left the EU.</p><p>The Department, as part of our EU exit preparations, is implementing a multi-layered approach to mitigate potential disruption to supply, which consists of stockpiling where possible, securing freight capacity, changing or clarifying regulatory requirements, procuring additional warehousing, working closely with industry to improve trader readiness and putting in place the National Supply Disruption Response to manage potential shortages. Further details can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/medicines-and-medical-products-supply-government-updates-no-deal-brexit-plans" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/medicines-and-medical-products-supply-government-updates-no-deal-brexit-plans</a></p><p>There is no evidence of any supply shortages being related to leaving the European Union. We are aware that one supplier of generic agomelatine 25mg tablets discontinued supplies in July 2019. However, we can confirm that supplies of agomelatine 25mg tablets are currently available from several other suppliers in volumes that are sufficient to meet normal United Kingdom demand. All patients who require agomelatine should be able to obtain a supply from their pharmacy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 23/10/2019 11:51:13 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4640 label Biography information for David Linden

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