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1277633

registered interest
date	18/01/2021
answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
answering dept id	90
answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
hansard heading	Members' Staff: Allowances
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2021 to Question 136593, whether Members' staff working on the parliamentary estate or in a constituency office incur a work-related expense that is additional to usual living costs by needing to purchase food at that location.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	139115
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>As is common in most employment arrangements, Members' employees are expected to provide for their own nourishment and refreshment at work, whether they purchase that or bring it in from home. The position is different for volunteers as they are not employed and provided with a salary from which to provide that sustenance. For that reason, volunteers can claim for the additional costs associated with volunteering for an MP, for example when on the parliamentary estate or in a constituency office (which includes food) which Members' staff cannot.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 21/01/2021 09:36:44 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1277642

registered interest
date	18/01/2021
answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
answering dept id	90
answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
hansard heading	Members' Staff: Voluntary Work
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2021 to Question 136594, for what reasons IPSA recognise that Members' staff incur additional costs while working at home through introducing a monthly working from home payment, but do not consider volunteers to be similarly incurring additional costs while volunteering from home for an hon Member.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	139116
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>The payment the Hon Member refer's to is IPSA's administration of the tax-free allowance which can be paid to employees who are required to work from home, under HMRC rules. As a tax mechanism, this does not apply to people who volunteer.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 21/01/2021 09:37:49 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1276142

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	South Western Railway: Rolling Stock
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 131410 on South Western Railway: Rolling Stock, what the proposed timeline is for the South Western Railway Class 455, 456, 458 and 707 fleet leaving the operator; and when the new Class 701 will be open for passenger service.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	137280
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>The first of the new Class 701 trains is expected to be in passenger service from early Summer this year, with the full fleet to be deployed in passenger service over the following 12 months, enabling the cascade of the current fleets out of South Western Railway on a like-for-like basis as the new trains enter passenger service. This timeline is contingent upon there being no further delays in the delivery and acceptance of the new trains, a risk that is heightened with the current situation with COVID-19, and completion of the associated training for the traincrew to enable the trains to be operated in passenger service. However, I can confirm that first two Class 707 units have already been cascaded to Southeastern Railway.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 21/01/2021 14:13:09 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1276144

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to make the rail network more accessible to those who have (a) autism and (b) other hidden disabilities.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	137281
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>Through the Department’s Access for All programme, which provides accessible routes at stations, Network Rail engages with local disability groups to ensure that designs meet the needs of all passengers.</p><p> </p><p>We are also currently reviewing the Disabled Persons Railcard criteria with a view to making it available to more disabled people including those with non-visible disabilities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 21/01/2021 12:45:27 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1276145

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Repairs and Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 133125 on Railways: Repairs and Maintenance, what discussions he has had with stakeholders to minimise the cost to the public purse of future engineering works.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	137282
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>Carrying out engineering works is essential to ensure that the railway remains safe for passengers and staff, and that changes can be made to improve passenger journeys. The Department continues to work closely with Network Rail to ensure that future engineering works are cost-efficient.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 21/01/2021 14:11:20 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1276147

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 130811 on Railways: Fares, what the cost to the public purse is of keeping trains running during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	137283
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>When COVID-19 hit, we took emergency action to keep the trains running by temporarily transitioning train operators onto Emergency Measures Agreements under which the Government bears nearly all financial risks on both costs and revenues.</p><p> </p><p>This swift intervention has ensured key rail services have continued to run for those who rely on them, despite passenger numbers having fallen very significantly as a result of the pandemic.</p><p> </p><p>In September 2020, we renewed that support with new agreements, called Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements (ERMAs), to support the UK recovery and continue the fight against the pandemic. These agreements run for up to 18 months.</p><p>Total payments made to all train operating companies under franchise contracts with the Department (including those in public ownership) from 1 March 2020 to 20 September 2020 was £4.07 billion. Full payment data for this period has been published on the Government website, GOV.UK, and we will continue to release periodic updates there in future.</p><p> </p><p>At the Public Accounts Committee on 15 October 2020, the Department’s Permanent Secretary estimated that the total cost of this support for the 2020/21 financial year will be between £7 billion and £9 billion for train operating companies under franchise contracts with the Department.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 21/01/2021 14:08:57 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1276149

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 133116 on Railways: Coronavirus, what measures his Department introduced to ensure the safety of railway staff on Saturday 19 December 2020.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	137284
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>Our priority is ensuring the safety of hard-working frontline railway staff, who are helping passengers at stations and keeping key services on the network running.</p><p> </p><p>Following the announcement on 19 December 2020, the Government and Chief Medical Officer urged people to avoid travelling unless essential to limit the risk of transmission, and the Department updated its safer travel guidance.</p><p> </p><p>Rail operators had already taken steps to minimise the risk of overcrowding, for example by advising passengers to reserve tickets in advance and follow the safer travel guidance. Rail operators reacted quickly to the increase in passengers by adding additional carriages to trains and adding in extra trains wherever possible. In addition, extra staff were deployed quickly on to stations to help provide passenger assistance and manage the crowding that took place on a small number of central London stations for a brief period. The British Transport Police (BTP) also deployed additional officers on 19 December 2020. The Department continues to work closely with the BTP to build on existing measures to keep passengers and staff safe and promote COVID-19 compliance.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 21/01/2021 14:06:46 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1276152

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 133116 on Railways: Coronavirus, what assessment he has made of the effect on the number of passengers who travelled by train on Saturday 19 December 2020 of the Government's announcement of Tier 4 on that day.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	137285
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>The Department worked closely with train operators to put in place robust contingency plans in anticipation of an increased number of passengers travelling during the Christmas period, including alternative travel arrangements, passenger communications, regular demand monitoring and plans to protect key services in the event of staff absence.</p><p> </p><p>In the majority of cases, train services did not breach social distancing capacity on Saturday 19 December 2020, as passengers had been advised to reserve tickets in advance and follow the Government’s safer travel guidance. There was crowding for a limited period at a small number of stations in central London in the evening prior to the Tier 4 restrictions coming into force at midnight that night. Station staff were available throughout to help manage passenger movements.</p><p> </p><p>Overall demand over the Christmas period was reduced substantially from anticipated levels following the announcements over changes to tiering and Christmas bubble arrangements. The public were kept informed of travel news through coordinated information from train operating companies, Network Rail and independent train ticket retailers. Overall footfall on 19 December 2020 was 30 per cent of the equivalent day in 2019, and 3 percentage points lower than the same day the previous week.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 21/01/2021 14:03:32 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1276154

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Quarantine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 131401 on Railways: Quarantine, if he will make it his policy to publish sector wide data on the number of railway staff members self-isolating due to covid-19 on a regular basis.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	137286
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>The Department monitors absence rates across the rail industry, including the proportion of rail workers who are ill and those who are self-isolating due to COVID-19. The level of staff absence due to COVID-19 varies daily and between operators, and each operator manages the running of their operations as necessary. There are currently no plans to regularly publish sector-wide data on staff absence rates.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 21/01/2021 14:00:03 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1275891

registered interest
date	12/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals: Slough
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of free school meal packages provided to children in Slough.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	136595
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>We know there is, understandably, concern about free school meal support during the period that schools will be restricted from opening. Schools in Slough can decide how best to support eligible free school meal pupils who are at home. We have not had any direct queries regarding lunch parcels from parents of children in Slough.</p><p> </p><p>We will provide extra funding to support schools to provide lunch parcels, or locally arranged vouchers. We have also re-opened the national voucher scheme from the week commencing 18 January 2021.</p><p> </p><p>The photos of poor-quality lunch parcels shared on social media are completely unacceptable and do not reflect the high standard of free school meals we expect to be sent to children.</p><p> </p><p>We expect a high standard of free school meals to be provided to eligible pupils. We are working with caterers to ensure that they meet the standards set and are delivering high quality lunches to pupils who are eligible for benefits related free school meals and who are at home during term time.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 21/01/2021 17:36:25 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi