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1297100

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Northern Ireland Assembly: Electoral Systems
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Northern Ireland Assembly voting system on implementation of (a) the principle cross-community consent and (b) the Belfast Agreement and the political process in Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	Carla Lockhart
uin	912617
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2021 answer text <p>The voting systems within the devolved administrations are devolved matters.</p><p> </p><p>The principle of cross-community consent applies to matters for which the Northern Ireland Assembly is responsible. This approach to voting on Assembly business is entirely compatible with the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and we remain fully committed to that Agreement.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 04/03/2021 09:43:28 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker previous answer version 87164 answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4857 label Biography information for Carla Lockhart

1297101

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Northern Ireland Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps his Department is taking to strengthen Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Bury North
tabling member printed	James Daly
uin	912618
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government places great importance on the Union, and Northern Ireland’s integral place within it. We are using Northern Ireland’s centenary to promote Northern Ireland on the world stage and showcase the contribution of its people, places and products to our United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>We have just signed Heads of Terms for the Derry-Londonderry City Deal, which includes a £105m UK Government investment, showing our commitment to levelling up across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the £2bn we have committed through New Decade New Approach, we have supported the Executive with £3.3bn to tackle Coronavirus. The £400m New Deal for Northern Ireland will boost economic growth, supporting businesses across Northern Ireland to invest.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue working tirelessly for our family of nations, ensuring it is a Union of people that works for everyone.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 912623 question first answered 03/03/2021 17:37:21 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4854 label Biography information for James Daly

1297102

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	United Kingdom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps his Department is taking to strengthen the Union.
tabling member constituency	North Devon
tabling member printed	Selaine Saxby
uin	912623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government places great importance on the Union, and Northern Ireland’s integral place within it. We are using Northern Ireland’s centenary to promote Northern Ireland on the world stage and showcase the contribution of its people, places and products to our United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>We have just signed Heads of Terms for the Derry-Londonderry City Deal, which includes a £105m UK Government investment, showing our commitment to levelling up across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the £2bn we have committed through New Decade New Approach, we have supported the Executive with £3.3bn to tackle Coronavirus. The £400m New Deal for Northern Ireland will boost economic growth, supporting businesses across Northern Ireland to invest.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue working tirelessly for our family of nations, ensuring it is a Union of people that works for everyone.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 912618 question first answered 03/03/2021 17:37:21 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4863 label Biography information for Selaine Saxby

1297103

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Anniversaries: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What plans his Department has to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
tabling member printed	Andrew Bowie
uin	912619
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>Northern Ireland’s centenary is an anniversary of profound significance, providing an important opportunity to facilitate national recognition and international awareness. It is also the centenary of the United Kingdom as we know it today and hence of importance to every part of our country.</p><p> </p><p>It presents a unique opportunity to boost the economy as we promote Northern Ireland as an attractive place to live, visit and do business.</p><p> </p><p>We have provided £3m of funding to mark the centenary, including a £1m Shared History Fund to support the engagement of a wide range of arts, heritage and community groups. We will be sharing further details of our centenary plans over the coming weeks.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 03/03/2021 17:34:09 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4601 label Biography information for Andrew Bowie

1299172

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Travel: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the comments made by Minister for Covid Vaccine Deployment of 26 January 2021 advising people not to book overseas summer holidays, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing sector specific support for (a) airline companies and (b) other companies in the travel industry.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	162630
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government recognises the challenging circumstances facing the aviation and travel industries as a result of Covid-19.</p><p> </p><p>The travel sector can draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor, including schemes to raise capital and flexibilities with tax bills. We estimate that by the end of April 2021 the air transport sector (airlines, airports and related services) will have benefitted from around £7bn of government support since the start of the pandemic. The extension of Government-backed loans and furlough payments announced at the budget build on this and will help ensure this vital and vibrant part of the UK economy is ready to bounce back in the wake of the pandemic.</p><p> </p><p>We are listening to sectors affected by Covid to understand their recovery horizons, as we roll out the vaccine.</p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 10/03/2021 16:27:19 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1299173

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
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	Television Licences: Older People
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 recent discussions he has had with stakeholders on (a) providing a free TV licence for people aged over 75 and (b) decriminalising licence evasion for people aged over 75.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	162603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2021 answer text <p>The Secretary of State meets regularly with a range of stakeholders, including the BBC. All DCMS ministerial meetings are disclosed on gov.uk, and the most recent can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-1-july-to-30-september-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-1-july-to-30-september-2020</a>.</p><p>The government remains deeply disappointed with the BBC's decision to restrict the over 75 licence fee concession to only those in receipt of pension credit. However, the Digital Economy Act 2017 provides that the future of the over-75s concession is the responsibility of the BBC, not the government. The BBC is also responsible for the collection and enforcement of the TV licence fee.</p><p>The government has said that the BBC must look at how it uses its substantial licence fee income to support older people. As part of the 2022 licence fee settlement negotiations, the Secretary of State has asked the BBC to set out any further plans it has to support those in vulnerable groups, including the elderly.</p><p>The government also remains concerned that a criminal sanction for TV licence evasion is increasingly disproportionate and unfair in a modern public service broadcasting system, and will keep the issue under active consideration while more work is done to understand the impact of alternative enforcement schemes.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 10/03/2021 13:41:34 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1299174

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Bank Services: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to require banks to publish their bank transfer scam data.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	162604
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government is committed to tackling fraud and ensuring that victims of Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams are protected.</p><p> </p><p>The Government therefore welcomed the publication of the Payment Systems Regulator’s (PSR) call for views on APP scams in February 2021. This invited views on a number of potential measures that could deliver a higher level of protection for customers against scams, including requiring individual payment service providers to publish data on scams on a quarterly or six-monthly basis.</p><p> </p><p>The Government looks forward to engaging with the outcomes of the PSR's call for views, including considering what further actions may be necessary to make progress on this issue.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 12/03/2021 12:25:54 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1299175

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Church Commissioners
answering dept id	9
answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
hansard heading	Church Services: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment he has made of whether the online broadcasting of services during the covid-19 outbreak has increased the number of people participating in worship.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	162605
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2021 answer text <p>The Church of England has seen a significant increase in public engagement with its online resources over the pandemic. <br> The National Church Institutions have produced a weekly online Sunday Service in video form since Mothering Sunday 2020, as well as the Daily Hope telephone line, podcasts and apps. The Sunday services have had more than 3.7 million views on Facebook and YouTube. A further 20,000 local online services and events have been listed on <a href="http://www.AChurchNearYou.com" target="_blank">www.AChurchNearYou.com</a> over the last year.</p><p>2020 saw an increase of almost 50% in downloads of Church of England apps for prayer and worship, with the apps used around 8 million times during this period. The National Institutions have continued to create resources for the major festivals, accessible on its website and social media. The current campaign #LiveLent is designed to take people on a journey of preparation ahead of Easter Day. This follows on from the #ComfortAndJoy resources, which reached millions during Advent and Christmas.</p><p> </p><p>Most cathedrals and a majority of parishes offer a variety of online services and events: weekly services, morning and evening prayer, children and youth projects and social activities. These have helped grow worshipping communities nationally and internationally. Recent evidence has also shown that attendance at traditional Book of Common Prayer services has grown dramatically. More available here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/stories-and-features/book-common-prayer-services-see-huge-numbers-tuning-seeking" target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/stories-and-features/book-common-prayer-services-see-huge-numbers-tuning-seeking</a> Digital services have also improved accessibility for those with disabilities.</p><p> </p><p>Digital services are likely to continue for the time being and these will be different in each parish as clergy respond to local needs and circumstances. Training has been provided throughout the pandemic to thousands of clergy and laypeople to improve skills and familiarise themselves with the variety of platforms available.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 08/03/2021 17:08:55 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1299176

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
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	Planning Permission
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 his Department’s plans to accelerate planning permission have taken into account any of the unintended consequences caused by relaxing permitted development rights for the indoor and outdoor built environment; and what assessment he has made of the effect of those changes to planning permission on people's health and wellbeing.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	162606
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2021 answer text <p>We recently consulted on proposals for a new permitted development right which will allow more premises to change from a commercial, business or service use to residential use, so that more much needed new homes can be created. Other proposals would provide for the larger extension of schools and hospitals. The consultation closed on 28 January and we are currently considering the responses received.</p><p>In response to concerns raised in respect of the quality of some of the homes delivered through permitted development rights for change of use, we now require that adequate natural light be provided in all habitable rooms, and we have legislated to ensure that in future all new homes delivered through permitted development rights will meet Nationally Described Space Standards. We have also introduced temporary flexibilities enabling local authorities to hold outdoor markets, granting communities access to food and goods outdoors.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 10/03/2021 16:16:26 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1299177

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Mental Health Services: Children and Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on the rollout of a covid-19 mental health recovery strategy for children and young people.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	162607
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/03/2021 answer text <p>During November 2020, we published our Wellbeing and Mental Health Support Plan for COVID-19, which set out the support available for individuals, including children and young people. The Government will publish an action plan setting out further measures to respond to and mitigate the impacts on mental health of COVID-19 across the population, including children and young people, in due course.</p> answering member constituency Mid Bedfordshire answering member printed Ms Nadine Dorries question first answered 30/03/2021 15:34:58 answering member 1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon