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45370

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the findings of the Green Paper on improving the safety and reducing risks to young drivers.
tabling member constituency	South Northamptonshire
tabling member printed	Andrea Leadsom
uin	193736
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The safety of young people on our roads is very important to us. Too many young people die, too often; we are wrestling with how to make things safer, while not unduly restricting the freedom of our young people. We want young people to be able to get to work and training, to education and to leisure activities, and we want them to do so safely. We are finding this a difficult balance, with passionate voices on both sides.</p><p> </p><p><br> On 27 January 2014, we held a meeting with the insurance industry and agreed the Department would commission new research into how telematics can change the behaviour and attitudes of learner drivers. We look forward to insurance companies sharing their data so that we can undertake this research. <br> <br> We are also in the process of undertaking some focus groups with parents, young people and employers to get a better understanding of the issues from their perspective.</p><p> </p><p><br> <br></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 31/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom

45371

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department and the Highways Agency are taking to reduce the risk of death or serious injury to road workers on the motorway network.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	193978
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>As part of its Aiming for Zero safety programme, the Highways Agency established a Road Worker Safety programme designed to reduce risk exposure to road workers, a particular focus of which is to reduce the incidences of carriageway crossing by road workers. Within this programme, a number of projects have been commissioned to test simplifications and other changes to temporary traffic management arrangements to reduce road worker exposure to live traffic whilst maintaining standards of safety for road users. Some of these projects have been completed already; for example Signs Simplification, implemented December 2011, and Offside Signs Removal techniques, implemented November 2012.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The introduction of these innovative changes has already enabled a very substantial reduction in the number of carriageway crossings, leading to a proportionate reduction in road worker risk exposure. In March 2014 the Highways Agency published further guidance on the Offside Signs Removal technique, allowing it to be used to close a four lane carriageway. The Highways Agency is continuing to work with its supply chain to take forward further projects within this programme with the aim of further reducing road worker risk.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

45372

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what commercial products his Department or the Highways Agency has mandated for use in road traffic management on the motorway network in the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	193979
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>There are no products used by the Highways Agency which have been mandated in terms of what is used for road traffic management. These products are used by staff and contractors for the Highways Agency and such items are procured using a specification via a tender arrangement and not directed by the Department for Transport, or Ministers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

45373

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department and the Highways Agency have made in delivering the Government's small and medium-sized enterprise procurement policy in road traffic management on the motorway network since 2010; what goods and services have been procured from which companies; at what cost; and what processes were used for the procurement of those goods and services.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	193980
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Highways Agency has made the following progress in supporting the Department in delivering Government Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) procurement policy:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>made the use of Project Bank Account a default position on all contracts awarded since October 2011. This considerably speeds up payment times to the supply chain, including any SMEs. Highways Agency contracted business now accounts for over 80% of the overall government target for directing spend through project bank accounts,</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>increased visibility of SME supply chain spend through contracts using a combination of strengthened contract reporting requirements, project bank account data and supply chain survey. It is now the case that over 30% of supply chain spend on HA contracts is with SMEs, and in some cases this can be as high as 50% of overall spend. The SME spend through the Agency's planned collaborative delivery framework, currently being tendered, is expected to range between 30-50% of overall spend,</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>attended and presented at ‘Meet the Buyer' events around the country, with the two most recent of these being in Sheffield and Reading in late 2013. The opportunity was taken further to reduce barriers for SMEs by helping them identify sources of information on potential direct opportunities (HA website, Contracts Finder, Tenders Electronic Daily (TED)), plus providing attendees with advice on how to seek extended supply chain opportunities in relation to larger contracts,</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>launched a new page on their website targeting and providing information for SMEs, linked here- <a title="http://www.highways.gov.uk/about-us/procurement/supplier-selection-and-development/small-medium-entrprises-smes" href="http://www.highways.gov.uk/about-us/procurement/supplier-selection-and-development/small-medium-entrprises-smes" target="_blank">http://www.highways.gov.uk/about-us/procurement/supplier-selection-and-development/small-medium-entrprises-smes</a>,</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>increased use of Open procedure through the procurement process, with the Agency now looking, where feasible, to breakdown lot structures in framework agreements to increase attractiveness to a broader and deeper supply chain,</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>amended its Instruction for Tenderers (IFT) in 2013 to state that “The Highways Agency is committed to removing barriers to SME participation in its contracts and this includes sub-contracting opportunities. If you are proposing to sub-contract part of this contract, you should provide assurance that you have considered how SMEs could play a part and details of the measures you have put in place to encourage and enable their participation as your sub-contractors. If you are awarded the contract, we will ask you to provide regular information about your spend with SMEs under the contract and may publicise good practice on our websites and report such expenditure to other Government Departments'', and</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>become an active member of a cross government Cabinet Office led SME Champions Group looking at strategic alignment, sharing best practice and promoting behavioural change towards SMEs</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Highways Agency awarded a Temporary Traffic Management framework (TTM) in March 2013 (estimated value £660 million over 4 years). Breaking down the lot structure for this encouraged application/interest from SME suppliers, resulting in one of the eight successful suppliers being an SME (Forest Traffic Services Ltd).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More broadly, since January 2010, 93 SME companies, names of which appear below, have been awarded HA contracts and/or task orders via frameworks, for the procurement of a range of goods, services and works with a total award value of just over £193m.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill attachment 1 file name 193980 - table.docx title SME companies awarded HA contracts
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

45374

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
answering body	Wales Office
answering dept id	28
answering dept short name	Wales
answering dept sort name	Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of employees in his Department of what (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.
tabling member constituency	Manchester Central
tabling member printed	Lucy Powell
uin	193975
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The proportion of staff in the Wales Office working flexibly is set out the enclosed table.</p><p><br></p> answering member constituency Preseli Pembrokeshire answering member printed Stephen Crabb question first answered 02/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1554 label Biography information for Stephen Crabb attachment 1 file name PQ 193975 - Table.doc title PQ 193975 - Table: Wales Office Working Patterns
tabling member	4263 label Biography information for Lucy Powell

45377

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received face to face guidance from the Pension Advisory Service in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Gregg McClymont
uin	193944
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Pensions Advisory Service provides information and guidance over multiple distribution channels including by telephone, web chat, online and written enquiries and face to face via outreach activity. The outreach activity includes shows, forums and similar events. All guidance is tailored to the individuals' personal circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The data for the last five years are set out in the table below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2009/2010</p></td><td><p>2010/2011</p></td><td><p>2011/2012</p></td><td><p>2012/2013</p></td><td><p>2013/2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Helpline customers</p><p>Includes calls, online enquiries, webchats and 1<sup>st</sup> party complaints</p></td><td><p>99,663</p></td><td><p>87,712</p></td><td><p>93,505</p></td><td><p>84,228</p></td><td><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>76,348 (as at 28th February)</p><p> </p><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Outreach work</p></td><td><p>6,457 people spoken to at TPAS events/presentations</p></td><td><p>7,577</p></td><td><p>3,786</p></td><td><p>1,091</p></td><td><p>1,400 estimate to date</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 01/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3949 label Biography information for Gregg McClymont

45386

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the planned changes to pensions on opt-out rates of auto enrolment.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Gregg McClymont
uin	193948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Budget announced that from April 2015, the tax rules for how people access their defined contribution pension savings will be simplified to allow individuals aged 55 or over to withdraw their savings however they wish, subject to their marginal rate of income tax.</p><p> </p><p>Allowing individuals to exercise greater choice over how they access their retirement savings may mean that some people who would have previously chosen to opt out may no longer do so. This is more likely to have an effect on the choices of older workers.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 01/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3949 label Biography information for Gregg McClymont

45388

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who have been given a prognosis that engagement in work is unlikely in the longer term have been placed in the work-related activity group for employment and support allowance since October 2008.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	193893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The information requested is shown in the table below:</p><p> </p><p>Outcomes of functional assessments by prognosis of 2 years or more for the ESA work-related activity group, Great Britain: October 2008 – September 2013</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>WRAG: Claimants with a prognosis of 2 years or more</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>New Claims - Initial assessment</p></td><td><p>11,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>New Claims – Repeat assessment</p></td><td><p>19,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Incapacity Benefit Reassessments</p></td><td><p>73,100</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: Data in the tables above is derived from administrative data held by the DWP and assessment data provided by Atos Healthcare.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p>1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.</p><p>2. The outcome recorded is the final DWP Decision Maker's decision or the recommendation made by the Atos Healthcare Professional where the Decision Maker's decision is not yet available.</p><p>3. The data presented above comes from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions. It related to new and repeat ESA claims and Incapacity Benefit (IB) claims reassessments. In October 2008, ESA replaced IB for new claims. Starting with a trial in October 2010, and reaching a full scale national roll-out in April 2011, existing IB claims began to be phased out, with claimants reassessed to see if they qualify for ESA instead.</p><p>The reassessment of existing incapacity benefits claimants started in October 2010 with a trial in the Burnley and Aberdeen areas. These are included in the table.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 01/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning previous answer version 3955 answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

45390

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he has in place to establish the extent to which work programme providers have assisted participants to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	193894
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Work Programme is designed to be flexible and tailored to each individual, with some participants requiring more support than others which may include assistance in improving their literacy and numeracy skills. The Department has a robust performance management regime which includes assurance of service delivery at individual participant level</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 31/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

45392

registered interest
date	26/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he made of the effect of the option for people to top up their state pension on state pensions expenditure.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Gregg McClymont
uin	193926
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Estimates were made of both the future AME expenditure and the revenue from contributions in 2015-16 and 2016-17 which would determine future state pension expenditure levels. Estimates made by the Department were certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility. Figures for the medium term impacts in cash terms were published on page 46 in Budget 2014: policy costings available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/295067/PU1638_policy_costings_bud_2014_with_correction_slip.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/295067/PU1638_policy_costings_bud_2014_with_correction_slip.pdf</a> .</p><p> </p><p>Further information on the long-term Exchequer impact in 2013-14 price terms is included in the table below. As noted in the policy costings document, there is uncertainty about levels of take-up of this policy. If take-up was higher than assumed both AME and Revenue would increase and if take-up was lower than assumed then both would decrease.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>AME</p></td><td><p>Revenue</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>-15</p></td><td><p>+415</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>-50</p></td><td><p>+410</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-18</p></td><td><p>-65</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018-19</p></td><td><p>-65</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019-20</p></td><td><p>-60</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020-21</p></td><td><p>-60</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021-22</p></td><td><p>-55</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022-23</p></td><td><p>-55</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023-24</p></td><td><p>-55</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2024-25</p></td><td><p>-50</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2025-26</p></td><td><p>-45</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2026-27</p></td><td><p>-45</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2027-28</p></td><td><p>-40</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2028-29</p></td><td><p>-40</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2029-30</p></td><td><p>-35</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2030-31</p></td><td><p>-35</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2031-32</p></td><td><p>-30</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2032-33</p></td><td><p>-30</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2033-34</p></td><td><p>-25</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Notes to table: Figures are in £m, 2013-14 price terms, rounded to nearest £5m.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 193916 question first answered 31/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	3949 label Biography information for Gregg McClymont