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1156163

registered interest
date	24/10/2019
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	Plastics: Tobacco
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 recent discussions she has had with cigarette manufacturers on eliminating plastic in cigarette butts.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	4945
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government published the Resources and Waste Strategy last year, setting out our plans to reduce, reuse and recycle more plastic than we do now. Our target is to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste throughout the life of the 25 Year Environment Plan, but for the most problematic plastics we are going faster.</p><p>We pledged £20 million to the Plastics Research and Innovation Fund which aims to reduce the environmental costs of plastic and litter. Our sights are set on problematic plastics such as cigarette filters which contain single-plastic polymers and blight our streets and seas. The fund will seek to deliver strategic networking and research that will coordinate existing knowledge across the UK, catalysing new ideas and rapid solutions.</p><p>Ministers have met twice with the Tobacco Manufacturers Association in the last three years, but the Government has not held discussions with any individual tobacco companies about eliminating plastic in cigarette butts.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 29/10/2019 12:43:05 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1151855

registered interest
date	23/10/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Racial Harassment
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 implications for his policies of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's report entitled, Tackling harassment: universities challenged; and what steps he is taking to ensure that university staff receive adequate training to deal effectively with racial harassment.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	4286
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>Racial harassment is unacceptable and we cannot tolerate staff and students being victims of it at our world-leading universities. There is no place in our society - including within higher education (HE) – for hatred or any form of harassment, discrimination or racism. Universities have clear responsibilities in this regard.</p><p>As independent institutions, HE providers are responsible for training and development opportunities available for their staff. We encourage providers to make use of tools such as the Race Equality Charter and the Race at Work Charter to identify and address institutional and cultural barriers that affect minority ethnic staff and students.</p><p>We will continue to work closely with partners, including Universities UK and the Office for Students on matters of harassment and hate crime in HE.</p><p>The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers recognises the need to create and develop positive environments and cultures in which all researchers can flourish and achieve their full potential. This includes having effective policies and practice for tackling discrimination, bullying and harassment and providing appropriate support for those reporting issues.</p><p>By improving the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff within HE we can ensure that everyone who has the potential to thrive at university, both as a student and as a member of staff, does so.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 28/10/2019 13:37:32 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1151877

registered interest
date	23/10/2019
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
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 assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing rent freezes to maintain affordable housing for low-income households.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	4287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2019 answer text <p>The government does not favour the introduction of caps on private rents as this could restrict investment in the private rented sector. From 1915 to the late 1980s, successive governments implemented policies to control or restrict private rents, which coincided with the decline in the private rented sector from nine-tenths of the housing stock in 1915 to one tenth in 1991. <br> <br> Rent caps have lead to worse property conditions for tenants by discouraging investment in existing accommodation.</p> answering member constituency Tatton answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 04/11/2019 15:41:56 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey previous answer version 2256 answering member constituency Tatton answering member printed Esther McVey answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1151435

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
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	Housing: Sales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government is taking steps to limit the number of properties bought as investments rather than as homes or rental properties.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	3602
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2019 answer text <p>This government is determined that the housing market works for everyone. That is why we are considering all levers at our disposal, including reforms to the planning system, to increase the supply of discounted homes for local people to buy, as well as increasing the supply of homes overall.</p><p>We have also taken steps to reduce the numbers of long-term empty homes in England by bolstering local authorities powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. Local authorities have the discretion to increase the maximum level of premium charged on properties that have been empty for more than two years from 50 per cent to 100 per cent extra council tax. There are now 83,813 fewer empty homes than in 2010.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tatton answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 04/11/2019 15:41:20 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey previous answer version 2249 answering member constituency Tatton answering member printed Esther McVey answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1151473

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Electric Vehicles: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of scrapping VAT on the purchase of new electric cars.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	3603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government has set an ambitious, legally binding target to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the UK by 2050. Although there are no plans at present to reduce the VAT charge on electric vehicles, the Government keeps all taxes under review including against this target and other fiscal considerations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 28/10/2019 13:50:59 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1151479

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Visual Impairment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the report entitled Left out of learning: FOI 2019 report published by RNIB in October 2019, what steps he is taking to ensure (a) adequate and (b) equitable provision of specialists to support children with vision impairment throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	3604
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>We want all schools to have a workforce fully equipped to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and are working with various organisations, including the National Sensory Impairment Partnership, to make sure that is the reality.</p><p> </p><p>The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to work with parents, young people, and providers to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review, including its sufficiency. We have recently announced a £780 million increase to local authorities’ high needs funding, boosting the budget by 12% and bringing the total spent on supporting those with the most complex needs to over £7 billion for 2020-21.</p><p> </p><p>We do not prescribe in detail how local authorities should allocate their high needs funding. In consultation with schools and other services, local authorities should consider carefully how best to meet the needs of children and young people in their area, including those with vision impairment.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 28/10/2019 14:43:35 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1151481

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by the Resolution Foundation entitled A fraying net, what steps the Government is taking to (a) reform and strengthen the social security safety net for young adults and (b) ensure that parents under the age of 25 do not lose out financially when moving from the previous benefit system to universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	3702
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to providing targeted support for young people. We aim to ensure that everyone, no matter what their start in life, is given the very best chance of getting into work. To support this, the Department delivers the Youth Obligation Support Programme, Jobcentre Plus Support for Schools and the recently introduced Mentoring Circles for young people.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit is designed to replicate the world of work through the introduction of a range of measures such as monthly assessment periods. Setting a clear benefit rate for claimants under the age of 25 reflects the lower wages that younger workers typically receive. This is intended to maintain the incentive for younger people to find work.</p><p> </p><p>The lower rates for younger claimants who are under the age of 25 years reflects the fact that they are more likely to live in someone else's household and have lower living costs and lower earnings expectations. It also reinforces the stronger work incentives that Universal Credit creates for this age group. Universal Credit also includes separate elements to provide support for housing costs, children and childcare costs and support for disabled people and carers.</p><p> </p><p>Those who naturally migrate to Universal Credit will do so because they will have had a significant change in their circumstances which previously would have led to a new claim to another existing benefit. In these situations, it has always been the case that the assessment of their new benefit will be based on their new circumstances and under the rules of their new benefit without regard to their previous entitlement. As their circumstances will have changed it is not possible to make a meaningful comparison between their previous entitlement to their existing benefit and their new entitlement to Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 28/10/2019 14:05:46 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1150955

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
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	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that universal credit claimants have access to support throughout the application process; and whether she plans to increase the number of universal credit telephone advisers.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	2706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants, and wants the application process for Universal Credit to be as quick and easy as possible, ensuring that claimants receive money at the earliest opportunity. To support this, we keep staffing levels under constant review and at the required levels, ensuring we have the right number of people available to answer customer calls and to respond to forecasted demand.</p><p> </p><p>All Jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. These devices are being upgraded in a programme due to be completed by the end of October 2019. For those that are still unable to access or use digital services, or are not able to travel, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available via the Freephone Universal Credit helpline. In certain circumstances, a home visit can be arranged to support a claimant in making and maintaining their claim</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have been delivering the ‘Help to Claim’ service on a pilot basis since April 2019, supporting claimants with making a new claim to Universal Credit. The Citizens Advice Help to Claim service offers tailored, practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time, and is available online, on the phone and face-to-face through local Citizen’s Advice services.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 24/10/2019 15:47:44 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1150429

registered interest
date	17/10/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Transport: Carbon Emissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government's Transport Decarbonisation Plan will apply to international (a) aviation and (b) shipping; and what steps he is taking to ensure that those sectors achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	1602
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The Transport Decarbonisation Plan will consider the transport sector as a whole and the increased contribution that all modes need to make to achieve an economy-wide net zero target by 2050. Given the global nature of the aviation and shipping sectors sector, and their climate change impacts, effective and coordinated international action remains essential. Unilateral action by a single state leads to the risk that these highly mobile carbon emissions are simply moved overseas, therefore failing to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The UK will continue its leadership role at the IMO pushing for the most ambitious measures to reduce GHG emissions from ships and negotiate for ICAO to agree a long-term emissions reduction goal by its 41st Assembly in 2022. Government will keep our approach to the inclusion of international shipping and aviation emissions in our legislation under review, taking account of progress in the IMO and ICAO.</p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 22/10/2019 13:35:44 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1150436

registered interest
date	17/10/2019
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	Employment: Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the final report from the Young people's future health inquiry entitled A healthy foundation for the future published in October 2019, what steps the Government is taking to establish a job market that offers young people secure and rewarding work.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	1603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting young people into work. We aim to ensure that everyone, no matter what their start in life, is given the very best chance of getting into work.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP Youth Obligation Support Programme is currently delivered to young people aged 18-21 making a new claim to Universal Credit. We provide additional tailored support to enable young people to achieve their goals.</p><p> </p><p>In January 2019 we announced the extension of the Mentoring Circles initiative from the ethnic minority community to all young people who could benefit from such support. Mentoring circles support 16-24 year olds by giving them an opportunity to build on their employability skills. By facilitating an interaction with employers this initiative helps to provide young job seekers with access to and interaction with role models in the workplace.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 22/10/2019 16:13:57 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly