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1682548

	registered interest
	date	16/01/2024
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	Parliament: Educational Visits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, how often the House of Commons Commission reviews the terms and conditions of the travel subsidy setting out funding available for school trips to Parliament.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	9797
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2024 answer text <p>The House Administration wants to enable schoolchildren across the UK to have the opportunity to visit Parliament. It has therefore been actively considering the impact of rising travel costs and revised constituency boundaries on the Education Travel Subsidy.</p><p>In June 2023, the Finance Committee considered and agreed proposals to increase the subsidy in light of rising travel costs. This was implemented in September 2023, but the Committee asked for additional increases to be considered. A further proposal was brought to the Finance Committee in November 2023 and the Commission in December 2023 to amend some elements of the subsidy and implement further increases. These were agreed and will be applied from April 2024. The changes are expected to increase visit numbers from outside the south-east.</p><p>The Commission noted in December 2023 that a deep dive review of the Education Travel Subsidy programme would take place in the third quarter of 2024/25 which would take account of constituency boundary changes.</p><p>The travel subsidy allows eligible state-funded schools to claim between 50 and 75 per cent of travel costs back, subject to maximum claim caps. Constituencies are set into three geographic based bands, A, B or C to determine eligibility. Further information is given on the Parliamentary website: <a href="https://learning.parliament.uk/en/schools-and-colleges/travel-subsidy/" target="_blank">Travel Subsidy - Parliament UK Education</a>. Recent changes to subsidy level are given below.</p><p>Travel subsidy in 2022</p><ul><li>Band A: Not eligible</li><li>Band B: 50% of receipted travel costs, up to a maximum claim of £800</li><li>Band C: 75% of receipted travel costs, up to a maximum claim of £1600</li></ul><p /><p>Travel subsidy as of 1 September 2023</p><ul><li>Band A: Not eligible</li><li>Band B: 50% of receipted travel costs, up to a maximum claim of £1,000</li><li>Band C: 75% of receipted travel costs, up to a maximum claim of £2,000</li></ul><p /><p>Travel subsidy changes for 1 April 2024 will be announced to Members in the coming weeks.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 19/01/2024 14:51:42 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1669030

	registered interest
	date	09/11/2023
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line: Parliamentary Scrutiny
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of parliamentary scrutiny of sections of HS2 that have since been cancelled.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	1097
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2023 answer text <p>The table below outlines an estimate of the cost to the public purse of parliamentary scrutiny of sections of HS2 that have since been cancelled. The costs of committee visits, the transcription of committee hearings, reports by the Independent Assessor and additional staffing have all been taken into account.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Select Committee on the High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Bill</strong></p></td><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Select Committee on the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Committee visits</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>£2,620</p></td><td colspan="3"><p>£4,006.89</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Transcription of Committee hearings</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>£54,313</p></td><td colspan="3"><p>£24,811.50</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Reports of the Independent Assessor</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>£184,760.58</p></td><td colspan="3"><p>£175,712.40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Staffing</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>N/A</p></td><td colspan="3"><p>£184,826</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>£241,693.58</p></td><td colspan="3"><p>£389,356.79</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>£631,050.37</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Under Private Business Standing Order 224A(6)(a)(ii) (‘Comments on environmental statements’), the examiner of petitions for private bills is required to appoint an independent assessor to produce a report on responses to the public consultation on an environmental statement.</p><p>Three reports were published by the independent assessor on the High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Act 2021, relating to consultations held on the Environmental Statement, the Supplementary Environmental Statement which accompanied Additional Provision 1, and the Supplementary Environmental Statement which accompanied Additional Provision 2.</p><p>Two reports have so far been published by the independent assessor on the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill, relating to consultations held on the Environmental Statement and the Supplementary Environmental Statement 1 and Additional Provision 1 Environmental Statement.</p><p>Under Private Business Standing Order 224A(10), the costs of the process of appointing an independent assessor, incurred by the House, shall be reimbursed by the government.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 20/11/2023 18:43:25 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker previous answer version 632 answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1640456

	registered interest
	date	25/05/2023
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	Victoria Tower: Flags
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May to Question 185861 on Victoria Tower: Flags, if the Commission will hold discussions with its counterparts in the House of Lords on arrangements for illuminating the Union Flag at the top of Victoria Tower.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	186842
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2023 answer text <p>Arrangements for the Victoria Tower are the responsibility of the House of Lords. The Commission understands there are currently no plans to illuminate the Union Flag on Victoria Tower.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 08/06/2023 14:57:32 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1628902

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2023
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	Victoria Tower: Flags
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission has had discussions with its counterparts in the House of Lords on arrangements for illuminating the Union Flag at the top of Victoria Tower.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	185861
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2023 answer text <p>There have been no discussions on this matter.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 23/05/2023 16:22:25 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1277733

	registered interest
	date	18/01/2021
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	House of Commons: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what discussions representatives of the House authorities have had with trade unions representing staff employed on the Parliamentary estate on Public Health England's recommendations on the risks to those staff of contracting covid-19 in their place of work.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	138923
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>The House authorities have met with representatives of the trade unions (including PCS) for staff in the House of Commons and PDS formally at least once per week since the beginning of March 2020, and with representatives of MPSA and Unite as representatives of Members’ staff.</p><p>All trade unions recognised by the House were provided with the opportunity to comment on the covid-19 risk assessments.</p> answering member constituency Perth and North Perthshire answering member printed Pete Wishart question first answered 21/01/2021 16:27:28 answering member 1440 label Biography information for Pete Wishart
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1277735

	registered interest
	date	18/01/2021
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	House of Commons: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many instances have been reported of staff working on the Parliamentary estate contracting covid-19.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	138924
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>Where data is recorded in relation to House of Commons staff, a total of 86 positive test results have been recorded for the period of March 2020–January 2021. The data held does not distinguish between staff working on the estate or from home.</p> answering member constituency Perth and North Perthshire answering member printed Pete Wishart question first answered 21/01/2021 16:22:10 answering member 1440 label Biography information for Pete Wishart
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1277736

	registered interest
	date	18/01/2021
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	House of Commons: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment has been made of trends in the level of sickness-related absence of staff working on the Parliamentary estate since March 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	138925
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2021 answer text <p>Levels of sickness absence are regularly reviewed and discussed weekly in the Covid operations group and in the weekly Trade Union meetings.</p><p>Sickness data is recorded for staff where they are unavailable to work due to illness. As the estate has seen different levels of required staff attendance over the last 12 months, comparison between periods is of limited use.</p><p>Absence rates have been reviewed against those from other areas of the public sector. Increases in absence can be identified in March 2020, December 2020 and January 2021.</p><p>The absence rates in the House have remained at comparable levels to previous years and below the wider public sector.</p><p /><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Description</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>APR</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>MAY</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>JUN</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>JUL</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>AUG</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>SEPT</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>OCT</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>NOV</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>DEC</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Average working days lost per employee</p></td><td><p>5.09</p></td><td><p>4.94</p></td><td><p>4.71</p></td><td><p>4.66</p></td><td><p>4.58</p></td><td><p>4.43</p></td><td><p>4.33</p></td><td><p>4.23</p></td><td><p>5.39</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>% long term sick</p></td><td><p>58.55%</p></td><td><p>59.24%</p></td><td><p>59.09%</p></td><td><p>61.33%</p></td><td><p>62.01%</p></td><td><p>62.10%</p></td><td><p>63.68%</p></td><td><p>66.06%</p></td><td><p>52.61%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p /><p>Please note the data is based on a rolling 12-month period, so the data for December 2020 is from 01/01/2020 to 31/12/2020.</p><p>The average working days lost per employee is the number of working days lost in the rolling 12-month period divided by the staff headcount.</p><p>The % long term sick is the percentage of sickness absences which were part of a period of absence of over 28 calendar days in the rolling 12-month period.</p> answering member constituency Perth and North Perthshire answering member printed Pete Wishart question first answered 26/01/2021 18:39:32 answering member 1440 label Biography information for Pete Wishart previous answer version 76239 answering member constituency Perth and North Perthshire answering member printed Pete Wishart answering member 1440 label Biography information for Pete Wishart
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1226542

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2020
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	Parliament: Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps the Commission is taking to ensure that Parliamentary staff are protected in the event that they raise health and safety concerns.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	76665
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The health and safety of all those who work for, or visit the House, continues to be a key priority of the House of Commons Commission. This has included the creation of a safety and security at work module, covering health and safety and the routes to raise concerns, mandatory training which all Parliamentary staff are required to complete on an annual basis.</p><p>Staff are actively encouraged to report safety queries or concerns through their line manager, safety coordinator, a trade union safety representative or one of the safety advisers in the Parliamentary Safety Team.</p><p>All passholders on the estate are expected to follow the behaviour code, which are designed to protect and support all those on the estate. Should a member of staff have concerns that this would not be the case a fully independent process exists for raising safety concerns through the whistleblowing policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Perth and North Perthshire answering member printed Pete Wishart question first answered 01/09/2020 16:22:54 answering member 1440 label Biography information for Pete Wishart
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1199990

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2020
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	House of Commons: Health and Safety
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission has made an assessment of whether the House of Commons is exempt from workplace health and safety legislation due to Parliamentary privilege.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	54090
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>Under Parliamentary privilege each House of Parliament regulates its own affairs; this includes the application of health and safety legislation. However, Parliament has also undertaken to apply the requirements of health and safety legislation and has made a commitment in the Health and Safety Policy to comply with legislation as if it applied to both Houses.</p> answering member constituency Perth and North Perthshire answering member printed Pete Wishart question first answered 08/06/2020 20:29:44 answering member 1440 label Biography information for Pete Wishart
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1199991

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2020
	answering body	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept id	18
	answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
	answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
	hansard heading	Parliament: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, with reference to the Office for National Statistics report of 11 May 2020, Coronavirus (COVID-19) related deaths by occupation, England and Wales, what assessment the Commission has made of the level of potential risk to parliamentary security and cleaning staff.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	54091
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The Commission is aware of the current evidence which shows that those from a BAME background and those who are older have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, with specific underlying conditions further increasing the risk of severe illness. The House service has a clear policy that all staff who are not business-critical do not come on to the estate; persons who are vulnerable and/or shielding are instructed to work from home. This policy applies to all staff, not just those in the security or cleaning teams.</p><p>The report issued by the Office for National Statistics discusses research findings; the Commission will review the potential risk to parliamentary security and cleaning staff as soon as the recommendations for the actions expected of a reasonable employer are issued by Public Health England, the Health and Safety Executive or other similar body.</p><p>In the interim, local and corporate Equality Impact Assessments have been carried out and measures introduced where necessary.</p> answering member constituency Perth and North Perthshire answering member printed Pete Wishart question first answered 08/06/2020 20:37:06 answering member 1440 label Biography information for Pete Wishart
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris