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1701732

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Childcare: Subsidies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of Government subsidies for childcare on the cost of childcare for people who are not eligible for subsidies.
tabling member constituency	North East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Mr Ranil Jayawardena
uin	22345
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>For families with younger children, childcare costs are often a significant part of their household expenditure, which is why improving the cost, choice and availability of childcare for working parents is important to the government.</p><p> </p><p>From April 2024, working parents of 2 year olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. This transformative roll out will benefit the parents of up to 246,000 children who have been issued 2 year old funding codes, of which 195,000 have been validated to date.</p><p> </p><p>From September 2024, this will be extended to working parents of children from nine months to 2 year olds. From September 2025, all working parents of children aged nine months up to 3 years will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week. The expansion of this entitlement will save eligible parents up to £6,900 per year per child helping even more working parents with the cost of childcare and making a real difference to the lives of those families.</p><p> </p><p>The income eligibility criteria are applied on a per parent basis. To be eligible, parents will need to earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Minimum or Living Wage, which is £183 per week or £9,518 per year in 2024-2025, and less than £100,000 adjusted net income.</p><p> </p><p>For families with two parents, both must be working to meet the criteria, unless one is receiving certain benefits. In a single-parent household, the single parent must meet the threshold. The £100,000 level was chosen to correspond with income tax thresholds and to be easily understandable for parents. Only a very small proportion of parents, 3.1% in 2023, earn over the £100,000 adjusted net income maximum threshold.</p><p> </p><p>The eligibility criteria apply to the existing entitlements and were debated in, and agreed by, Parliament. The maximum income limit applies to both Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare, which allows parents to apply for both schemes through the same online application (Childcare Service).</p><p> </p><p>However, the universal 15 hours of free childcare offer remains in place for all parents of 3 and 4 year olds, regardless of parental circumstances, including those who earn over £100,000.</p><p> </p><p>Working families can also access support with the childcare costs through Tax Free Childcare worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities. For every £8 paid into a Tax-Free Childcare account, the government tops it up with another £2.</p><p> </p><p>There is a comprehensive evaluation programme underpinning the expansion of childcare entitlements. This includes a process evaluation which will explore how families not eligible for the new entitlements experience finding and accessing childcare, including the associated costs. Further, the impact evaluation will assess how the expansion has impacted upon the quality of childcare provision and children’s development, for all children, and wider family outcomes. As per Government Social Research guidelines, evaluation findings will be available within 12 weeks of the projects being finalised. The department expects the first to be available from spring 2026.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 25/04/2024 12:43:06 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4498 label Biography information for Mr Ranil Jayawardena

1701803

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to support innovation in blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies while ensuring robust consumer protections.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	22363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <ol><li>The government is committed to creating a regulatory environment in the UK where firms can innovate, while crucially maintaining financial stability and clear regulatory standards.</li><li>In line with this, the government has already brought cryptoassets into regulation for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, and financial promotions.</li><li>As a result, the Financial Conduct Authority now regulates and supervises qualifying cryptoasset promotions, with the aim of improving consumers’ understanding of the risks and benefits associated with cryptoasset investments, and ensuring that cryptoasset promotions are held to the same high standards as for broader financial services.</li><li>In October last year, the Treasury published its final proposals for creating the UK’s financial services regulatory regime for cryptoassets.</li></ol> answering member constituency Hitchin and Harpenden answering member printed Bim Afolami grouped question UIN 22360 22361 22362 22364 question first answered 23/04/2024 11:17:55 answering member 4639 label Biography information for Bim Afolami
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1701813

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Parking Offences: Fines
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans for councils to set their own charges for parking on single and double yellow lines.
tabling member constituency	Bournemouth East
tabling member printed	Mr Tobias Ellwood
uin	22268
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The Department has no such plans.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 22/04/2024 16:50:31 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood

1701815

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Roads: Dorset
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been provided to BCP council to fix potholes.
tabling member constituency	Bournemouth East
tabling member printed	Mr Tobias Ellwood
uin	22269
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>In 2023/24 the Government provided Bournemouth, Christchurch &amp; Poole Council with £6.24 million of capital funding for local highway maintenance. This was an increase of around 30% compared to the previous year, made possible in part by reallocating £604,000 of funding that would otherwise have been spent on the HS2 programme. In total, Bournemouth, Christchurch &amp; Poole Council will receive an uplift of over £18 million over the next decade as a result of the decision to reallocate HS2 funding.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is up to Bournemouth, Christchurch &amp; Poole Council to determine how best to use this funding based on local needs, priorities and circumstances. Bournemouth, Christchurch &amp; Poole Council has published on its website details of how it intends to spend the additional funding the Government has provided (https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/projects-plans-and-consultations/highway-maintenance)</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 24/04/2024 15:26:43 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood

1701817

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Speed Limits: Public Consultation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on consultation with local residents before the introduction of 20 mph zones.
tabling member constituency	Bournemouth East
tabling member printed	Mr Tobias Ellwood
uin	22270
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-local-speed-limits/setting-local-speed-limits" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-local-speed-limits/setting-local-speed-limits</a>. On setting 20mph speed limits and zones, it states ‘A comprehensive and early consultation of all those who may be affected by the introduction of a 20mph scheme is an essential part of the implementation process. This needs to include residents, all tiers of local government, the police and emergency services, public transport providers and any other relevant local groups (including, for example, groups representing pedestrians, cyclists, drivers or equestrians)’.</p><p>Local authorities are expected to consider this best practice guidance; though the final decision is for the authority together with the police, who would carry out any enforcement activity.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 22/04/2024 13:20:42 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood

1701821

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Road Traffic Control: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funds his Department has allocated to help improve local traffic movements in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Bournemouth East
tabling member printed	Mr Tobias Ellwood
uin	22272
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The Department has a number of funding streams which can help improve local traffic movements. These include the Integrated Transport Block, which can support small-scale local improvements, and the Highway Maintenance Block which helps deliver smoother roads. Details of the funding provided under each are available at <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Froads-funding-information-pack%2Froads-funding-information-pack&amp;data=05%7C02%7CJohn.McVeagh%40dft.gov.uk%7C089c632126684408e87d08dc607d376c%7C28b782fb41e148eabfc3ad7558ce7136%7C0%7C0%7C638491338162363533%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=WYSeklnqQXd2kpiMfBgW46JfWMPCW90hb8lJuihU6Ss%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/roads-funding-information-pack/roads-funding-information-pack</a>.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, there are a number of wider Government funds such as the Levelling Up Fund, Active Travel Fund and Future High Streets all of which have supported improvements to local roads.</p><p> </p><p>As announced in the Plan for Drivers, the Department has provided £50 million to local authorities to upgrade traffic signals to help improve traffic flow. This includes £30 million to replace outdated equipment, and £20 million to reduce poor traffic light sequencing through innovative technology that responds to live traffic conditions. Details of the funding allocations are available at <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Ftraffic-signal-obsolescence-grant-and-green-light-fund-allocations&amp;data=05%7C02%7CJohn.McVeagh%40dft.gov.uk%7C089c632126684408e87d08dc607d376c%7C28b782fb41e148eabfc3ad7558ce7136%7C0%7C0%7C638491338162372149%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=AYNpYsIBPm2%2B3hJhUXWwe2SoiY0KUNKwrmkzzUWy5aI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signal-obsolescence-grant-and-green-light-fund-allocations</a>”</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 22/04/2024 14:20:07 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood

1701823

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Crime Prevention: Birmingham
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department has taken to (a) reduce crime and (b) improve community safety in Birmingham.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Tahir Ali
uin	22397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>This Government is committed to cutting crime, keeping our streets safe, and restoring confidence in the criminal justice system.</p><p>Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), as the locally elected and democratically accountable individual, are responsible for the totality of policing in their area. They set local policing and crime objectives in partnership with their communities and key stakeholders and hold the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of efficient and effective policing.</p><p>The Government is funding a range of initiatives in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands police force area to reduce crime. Through the Safer Streets Fund, the West Midlands has received just over £3.7m of investment through five rounds of the Fund. As part of the current Round Five, the West Midlands PCC has been allocated £819k to deliver interventions aimed at targeting neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour, and violence against women and girls.</p><p>To tackle the drivers of serious violence, the Home Office has invested over £20m since 2019 to develop the West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), including funding of over £4.38m in 2023/2024. The West Midlands VRU delivers a range of preventative interventions, cognitive behavioural therapy programmes, and sports-based diversionary programmes.</p><p>During the Police Uplift, West Midlands recruited 1,376 additional uplift officers against a total three-year allocation of 1,218 officers. As at 30 September 2023, there were 7,982 police officers in West Midlands, a total growth of 1,291 additional officers against the baseline (6,691) at the start of the Police Uplift.</p><p>Overall, the West Midlands will receive up to £790.4 million in 2024/2025 from the police funding settlement, an increase of up to £51.1 million when compared to 2023/2024.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 24/04/2024 16:27:11 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4747 label Biography information for Tahir Ali

1701867

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Voice over Internet Protocol: Power Failures
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she plans to take to help ensure (a) energy companies and (b) network operators can contact consumers on the Energy Priority Services Register during a power cut once the digital switchover is complete.
tabling member constituency	Rhondda
tabling member printed	Sir Chris Bryant
uin	22260
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>DSIT is engaging with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to ensure robust measures are in place to mitigate any risks arising from the Public Switched Telephone (PSTN) switchover in the energy sector. The details regarding contingency plans and consumer prioritisation in the energy sector falls within DESNZ’s remit.</p><p> </p><p>DSIT works closely on a range of resilience issues in partnership with industry, through the Electronic Communications Resilience &amp; Response Group (EC-RRG), who engage in regular dialogue with the Energy Networks Association across a range of issues to help strengthen resilience between the telecoms and energy sectors.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) also recently consulted on proposals to establish a multi-sector Priority Services Register to enable better data sharing between providers of gas, water, electricity, and telecoms providers, and allow consumers to be registered as vulnerable across sectors. The consultation closed in January 2024, with a response expected in due course.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 22/04/2024 09:02:38 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	1446 label Biography information for Sir Chris Bryant

1701874

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Hedges and Ditches: Conservation
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 estimate he has made of the number of miles of hedgerow that has been (a) created and (b) restored since January 2023.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham East
tabling member printed	Janet Daby
uin	22388
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>We have made no such assessment regarding the <em>total</em> number of hedgerows created or restored since 2023, however, there are now approximately 56,000 miles of hedgerows being managed through 16,000 agreements in the Government’s Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes. Under Countryside Stewardship approximately 20,680 Miles of Hedgerow have been created and restored since January 2023.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 22/04/2024 15:00:02 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4698 label Biography information for Janet Daby

1701912

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	UK Trade with EU: Exports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic impact of the European Commission’s customs reform proposals of 17 May 2023 on exporters to the EU.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	22217
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government has been engaging with the European Commission including through the UK/EU annual Trade Specialised Committee on Customs Cooperation and Rules of Origin.</p><p> </p><p>The EU has expressed the need for consultation with the UK to take into account potential implications for Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p><p>The Government published an Explanatory Memorandum in August 2023 setting out relevant considerations in relation to the EU’s proposed reforms. As the reforms develop, we will continue to monitor the progress and to assess any potential impacts on UK businesses.</p> answering member constituency Mid Worcestershire answering member printed Nigel Huddleston grouped question UIN 22218 22219 question first answered 23/04/2024 12:34:09 answering member 4407 label Biography information for Nigel Huddleston
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas