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1128045

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Hospitals: Parking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	If she will hold discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the abolition of hospital car parking charges in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	910963
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The matter of hospital car parking is devolved in Northern Ireland and it would not be appropriate for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to intervene.</p><p><br>In the absence of devolved government it remains for NI Permanent Secretaries to take the decisions they believe necessary in line with the guidance the Secretary of State set out last November, to keep the country running.</p> answering member constituency Weston-super-Mare answering member printed John Penrose question first answered 22/05/2019 14:00:54 answering member 1584 label Biography information for John Penrose
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1054028

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Vocational Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What steps he is taking to ensure that (a) academies and (b) local authority maintained schools comply with section 2 of the Further Education and Technical Act 2017; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	908969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2019 answer text <p>Inviting providers of technical education into schools is vital to give all pupils a full picture of their options. We are writing to local authorities to make sure that schools comply.</p><p>We have written to the largest multi academy trusts currently not meeting the duty, reminding them what is required, and will take further action if we have evidence schools are still not complying.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 04/02/2019 17:29:03 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

989397

	registered interest
	date	17/10/2018
	answering body	Scotland Office
	answering dept id	2
	answering dept short name	Scotland
	answering dept sort name	Scotland
	hansard heading	Fuels: Excise Duties
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What recent assessment he has made of the effect of the freeze on fuel duty on low income families in Scotland.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	907027
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2018 answer text <p>The Government recognises that transport is a major cost for households and businesses in Scotland.</p><p>That is why the Prime Minister recently announced that fuel duty will be frozen in 2019/20, a ninth successive freeze. This will benefit all drivers in Scotland and across the UK.</p><p>As a result of the last eight years of freezes, the average car driver has saved a cumulative £850 compared to pre-2010 escalator plans.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 17/10/2018 14:30:23 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

64867

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Homicide: Victim Support Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assistance his Department makes available to families bereaved by homicide.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	904584
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that families bereaved by homicide get the necessary support. The Ministry of Justice grant funded national Homicide Service provides tailored and intensive support based on families' needs. We also fund a number of organisations that provide peer support and specialist counselling services to the bereaved.</p> answering member constituency Ashford answering member printed Damian Green question first answered 01/07/2014 12:51:13 answering member 76 label Biography information for Damian Green
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

861938

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2018
	answering body	Wales Office
	answering dept id	28
	answering dept short name	Wales
	answering dept sort name	Wales
	hansard heading	Hospitals: Parking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the abolition of hospital car parking charges in Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	904285
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2018 answer text <p>I have not discussed this matter with the Welsh Government.</p><p>The responsibility for car parking charges in Wales is devolved to the Welsh Government and decisions on whether to waive charges are entirely for the Welsh Government.</p> answering member constituency Pudsey answering member printed Stuart Andrew question first answered 14/03/2018 17:32:54 answering member 4032 label Biography information for Stuart Andrew
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

857659

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2018
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Infrastructure
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what funding is available for church infrastructure projects.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	904239
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2018 answer text <p>The Church Commissioners provide financial and administrative support to cathedrals and dioceses. It is up to each self-governing church or cathedral to raise funds for development projects, and the National Church Institutions provide advice and support.</p><p>The changing priorities and declining budget of the Heritage Lottery Fund is a matter of concern, as this is where much fundraising money comes from; officers at national level continue to work with the Heritage Lottery Fund on the specific issues churches face. The HLF is currently reviewing its strategic priorities and I would encourage all Hon. members to consider sending in a response, making the importance of churches as community assets clear.</p><p>The Church of England has been in discussions with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and HM Treasury about the current underspend of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, realocating the underspend would enable the Church to deliver a number of the recommendations in the Taylor Review.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Dame Caroline Spelman question first answered 08/03/2018 14:53:55 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1137030

	registered interest
	date	04/07/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Fire Prevention
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether fire evacuation guidance issued by his Department includes information on the additional time required to evacuate vulnerable people.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	273380
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises, including parts of multi-occupied residential premises that are used in common by occupants of more than one dwelling. The Government makes available a suite of premises-specific guidance to help those with responsibilities under the Fire Safety Order to comply, including the requirement to provide suitable escape routes and emergency exits.</p><p><br>Supplementary guidance, which provides extra information on accessibility and means of escape for disabled people, is also made available on Gov.UK.</p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 09/07/2019 11:08:34 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1133329

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, whether he has had discussions with the CPS on removing reference to the merits-based approach from (a) guidance and (b) training materials on rape and sexual offences.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	266818
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape and serious sexual offences are horrific crimes and can have a devastating impact on victims, and the CPS will always seek to prosecute where there is sufficient evidence to do so. The Attorney General and I regularly discuss issues related to rape and sexual offences with the CPS; however, charging decisions are made independently by the CPS.</p><p> </p><p>There has been no change in policy in how the CPS makes charging decisions in rape cases. Prosecutors in the CPS follow a ‘Code’, which sets out a well-established two stage test that a case must pass before a charge can be made. The first stage of this test is the evidential stage, which considers whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against each suspect on each charge. That test has remained and continues to remain the same. It applies to every single offence no matter how minor or serious.</p><p> </p><p>The Code that prosecutors follow has never included any specific reference to a merits-based assessment of the realistic prospect of conviction because it is an integral part of the evidential test. The second stage of the test is whether it is in the public interest to proceed with a prosecution, this is considered after the evidential stage is fulfilled.</p><p> </p><p>From 2009, DPP guidance included reference to a merits based approach.</p><p> </p><p>Following an inspection by HMCPSI in 2016, it became clear that including a separate reference to the merits based approach in the guidance was causing confusion leading to the incorrect application of the code test. To avoid this confusion, changes were made to the guidance provided by the DPP to prosecutors, including removing a document on the merits based approach.</p><p> </p><p>Those changes should not have, and did not have any impact on the proper application of the Code test that prosecutors follow when making a decision on whether to charge.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 28/06/2019 12:06:30 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1132840

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	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	Inland Waterways and Rivers: Pollution Control
	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 his Department is taking to clean up rivers and waterways to ensure that they are safe habitats for (a) wildlife and (b) recreational swimmers.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	266165
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Current updated River Basin Management Plans, published in 2016, provide the framework for protecting and improving the water environment for wildlife, people and the economy for the period up to 2021. Plans for England confirm over £3 billion of investment by 2021, leading to improvements in at least 680 water bodies, with an overall target to enhance at least 5000 miles of waters by 2021. These plans will be reviewed and updated in 2021 to take account of progress that has been made and what can be achieved by 2027.</p><p> </p><p>Over the last two decades there have been significant improvements in water quality in rivers. Independent analysis of Environment Agency (EA) data by the University of Cardiff in 2014 showed that wildlife such as Atlantic salmon, mayflies, and dippers dependent on cleaner waters have been progressively recolonising in England's urban rivers over this 20 year period. However, there is still more to do to improve river habitats and to protect the environment from deterioration in the future.</p><p> </p><p>For recreational swimmers, there are over 400 locations in England formally designated as bathing waters which are managed to meet stringent water quality standards to protect health. The EA monitors these waters throughout the bathing season (May to September), investigates pollution sources and works with partners to reduce pollution risks. The EA also issues daily forecasts of bathing water during the bathing season on the internet to help inform bathers of pollution risks. In 2018, 97.9% of bathing waters met minimum standards sufficient for bathing and 67.1% met even more stringent standards.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 24/06/2019 14:31:59 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1130384

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Apprentices
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the effect on the impartiality of Ofsted of that organisation being responsible for the inspection of the quality of apprenticeships.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	261188
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>Ofsted is a non-ministerial department, which reports directly to Parliament. It inspects services providing education and skills for learners of all ages and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. Its role is to make sure that organisations providing education, training and care services in England for children and students do so to a high standard. Ofsted inspects a range of provider types and different types of provision, including apprenticeships. It does so impartially, as an independent body.</p><p>For more information on how Ofsted inspects apprenticeships, please see the current Further Education and Skills Inspection Handbook here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-and-skills-inspection-handbook" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-and-skills-inspection-handbook</a> An updated version of the Handbook, released under the new Education Inspection Framework, is due to take effect from September 2019 and can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-and-skills-inspection-handbook-eif" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-and-skills-inspection-handbook-eif</a></p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 13/06/2019 13:17:14 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon