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1418846

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Thames Freeport
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department made an assessment of the pension liabilities of DP World’s UK subsidiaries during the Freeport bidding process.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull East
tabling member printed	Karl Turner
uin	115885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The Freeport model includes a broad coalition of local partners, including businesses, local authorities and ports. Trustees and employers have a wide range of legal duties in respect of workplace schemes and are responsible for compliance with legislative funding requirements.</p><p>As set out in the Bidding Prospectus, each Freeport proposal was subjected to an assessment against defined criteria that related to the ability to deliver the Freeports policy objectives. This assessment process was led by MHCLG (now DLUHC) with involvement from other government departments.</p><p>The Pension Regulator is the regulator of work-based pension schemes and has a range of powers that it may use to intervene, and to take action, primarily against trustees and employers, where they don’t comply with their duties.</p> answering member constituency Harborough answering member printed Neil O'Brien question first answered 07/02/2022 17:38:57 answering member 4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien
tabling member	4030 label Biography information for Karl Turner

1419028

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Working Tax Credit: Overpayments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support people who are having difficulty in paying back overpayments of working tax credits in the context of rising living costs.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Yardley
tabling member printed	Jess Phillips
uin	116955
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>Support is available for tax credits claimants who are experiencing difficulty with their repayments. HMRC can reduce the rate of repayment on a case-by-case basis where claimants are in financial hardship. HMRC also work to identify vulnerable customers and refer them to the Extra Support Team for assistance, with more information available <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/get-help-from-hmrc-s-extra-support-team" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Where claimants with overpayments have migrated to Universal Credit, they can similarly contact DWP to discuss a reduction in their rate of repayment and may benefit from the cap on debt deductions which the government reduced to 25 per cent of the standard allowance in April 2021. Work coaches can also signpost other financial support.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the Government is providing significant financial support – up to £350 – to the majority of households which will cover more than half of the forecast £700 rise in energy bills for the average household. This support – worth £9.1bn in 2022-23 – is on top of the existing £12 billion support the government is providing for the cost of living this financial year and next. This includes reducing the Universal Credit taper rate, raising the National Living Wage, freezing alcohol and fuel duties and providing targeted help with energy bills.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 07/02/2022 10:30:41 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
tabling member	4370 label Biography information for Jess Phillips

1419029

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telephone Systems
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is her Department's policy to ensure that the proposed changes to the Public Switched Telephone Network in 2025 are accompanied by improved broadband access and speeds, especially in more rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Halifax
tabling member printed	Holly Lynch
uin	116997
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The Public Switched Telephone Network is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry, not the government. The decision has been taken as the network is increasingly unreliable and prone to failure, and spare parts are becoming harder to source due to a reduction in global production.</p><p>However, some Internet Service Providers are planning on migrating customers from PSTN connections only when a full-fibre connection is available at their premises, meaning higher broadband speeds and greater reliability.</p><p>More broadly, the government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. Today, over 65% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019. The Government is also investing £5 billion as part of Project Gigabit to ensure the hardest-to-reach areas in the UK receive coverage: up to 2.5 million premises are within the scope of procurements we have already announced.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 07/02/2022 16:20:35 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4472 label Biography information for Holly Lynch

1419030

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Emergency Calls
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to help ensure that in the event of power outages people will still be able to make emergency calls, following the proposed changes to the Public Switched Telephone Network in 2025.
tabling member constituency	Halifax
tabling member printed	Holly Lynch
uin	116998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry, not the government. However, the government and Ofcom are working together to ensure consumers and sectors are protected and prepared for the upgrade process.</p><p>Ofcom, the independent telecoms regulator, has issued guidance on how telecoms companies can fulfil their regulatory obligation to ensure that their Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) customers have access to the emergency services during a power outage. This guidance was prepared following consultation with Ofgem and the industry, looking at data on average power outages among other factors.</p><p>This guidance states that providers should have at least one solution available that enables access to emergency organisations for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power outage in the premises, and that the solution should be suitable for customers’ needs and should be offered free of charge to those who are at risk as they are dependent on their landline. Ofcom’s full guidance is available on its website <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/123118/guidance-emergency-access-power-cut.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 07/02/2022 16:22:57 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4472 label Biography information for Holly Lynch

1419034

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Russia: Ukraine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Brazilian counterpart on the situation between Ukraine and Russia, following reports that President Bolsonaro will travel to Russia to meet with President Putin.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North East
tabling member printed	Fabian Hamilton
uin	116853
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary last spoke to Foreign Minister França at the UN General Assembly in New York in September. On 3 February, I met the Ambassador of Brazil to the UK and thanked him for Brazil's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity at the UN Security Council. British diplomats in Brasilia, including Her Majesty's Ambassador, continue to discuss these issues with the Brazilian Government.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 07/02/2022 17:49:05 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	415 label Biography information for Fabian Hamilton

1419035

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Hospitality Industry: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the VAT rate of 12.5 per cent for the hospitality industry until the end of 2022.
tabling member constituency	Ynys Môn
tabling member printed	Virginia Crosbie
uin	117117
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of around 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. As announced at Spring Budget 2021, the Government extended the 5 per cent temporary reduced rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors until the end of September 2021. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of 12.5 per cent was introduced for these goods and services to help ease affected businesses back to the standard rate. This new rate will end on 31 March 2022.</p><p> </p><p>This relief has cost over £8 billion and, whilst all taxes are kept under review, there are no plans to extend the 12.5 per cent reduced rate of VAT. The Government has been clear that this relief is a temporary measure designed to support the sectors that have been severely affected by COVID-19. It is appropriate that as restrictions are lifted and demand for goods and services in these sectors increases, the temporary tax reliefs are first reduced, and then removed, in order to rebuild and strengthen the public finances.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 07/02/2022 16:23:40 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4859 label Biography information for Virginia Crosbie

1419037

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	EU Law
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals with the aim of ensuring that it is easier to amend or remove retained EU law.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	117018
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The Queen’s speech will set out in further detail the Government’s legislative programme in the normal way.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>This legislation on retained EU law will be informed by the Cabinet Office's ongoing reviews into the substance and status of retained EU law. Legislation will be accompanied by the normal documents that will explain the benefits of making it easier to amend or remove retained EU Law.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis grouped question UIN 117020 question first answered 07/02/2022 15:10:37 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1419038

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Passports: Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department made of the cost of changing the UK passport colour from burgundy to blue.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	117019
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>There were no additional costs of changing the colour of the cover of the passport.</p><p>Passports are routinely redesigned every four to five years to guard against counterfeiting, and the change of colour was introduced as part of the most recent design which launched in March 2020.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 07/02/2022 16:23:17 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1419040

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	EU Law
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to publish a report on the review of all EU retained laws being undertaken to determine whether those laws are beneficial to the UK.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	117020
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The Queen’s speech will set out in further detail the Government’s legislative programme in the normal way.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>This legislation on retained EU law will be informed by the Cabinet Office's ongoing reviews into the substance and status of retained EU law. Legislation will be accompanied by the normal documents that will explain the benefits of making it easier to amend or remove retained EU Law.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis grouped question UIN 117018 question first answered 07/02/2022 15:10:37 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1419041

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
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	Marine Protected Areas
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 he is taking to manage fishing in Marine Protected Areas around the coast of the UK; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning supertrawlers and fly shooting vessels from fishing in Marine Protected Areas to allow fish stocks to recover and to support the UK fishing industry.
tabling member constituency	Ynys Môn
tabling member printed	Virginia Crosbie
uin	117118
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a devolved competency and the information provided therefore relates to England only.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is at the forefront of marine protection with 372 MPAs protecting 38% of UK waters. We have built a comprehensive network of MPAs and are focusing on making sure they are protected properly. Ninety-eight of our inshore English MPAs now have management measures in place to protect sensitive features from bottom towed fishing gears. We are also developing an ambitious three-year programme for assessing sites and implementing byelaws, where necessary, to manage fishing activity in all English offshore MPAs.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 07/02/2022 16:32:06 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4859 label Biography information for Virginia Crosbie