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1126827

registered interest
date	15/05/2019
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: Expenditure
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to reduce the differential in spending on mental health support between different parts of the country.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254721
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>Funding allocations to clinical commissioning groups vary to meet the needs of local populations, including mental health need. These allocations are determined by a formula managed for the National Health Service by the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation.</p><p>Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are required to continue to increase investment in mental health services in line with the mental health investment standard. In 2017/18, all CCGs met the standard. For 2019/20, the standard requires CCGs to increase spend by at least their overall programme allocation growth, plus an additional percentage increment to reflect the additional mental health funding included in CCG allocations for 2019/20.</p> answering member constituency Thurrock answering member printed Jackie Doyle-Price question first answered 20/05/2019 14:20:43 answering member 4065 label Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126852

registered interest
date	15/05/2019
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by his Department in (a) May 2017 and (b) May 2018.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254722
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>Please find the answer to this question below. The information is taken as at the last working day of each month.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Date</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Headcount</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FTE</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2017</p></td><td><p>2,245</p></td><td><p>2,159.91</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2018</p></td><td><p>3,769</p></td><td><p>3,606.33</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>All information relating to headcount and FTE figures for Core Defra and ALBs is published monthly in the Monthly Workforce Management Information report. Please see the link below for more information:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://data.gov.uk/dataset/9fb1ed1f-00c9-421b-ab18-c30c14559681/workforce-management-information-defra" target="_blank">https://data.gov.uk/dataset/9fb1ed1f-00c9-421b-ab18-c30c14559681/workforce-management-information-defra</a></p><p> </p><p>The answer covers permanent (payroll staff) for the department only. The response excludes contingent labour (Agency Staff/Consultants/Contractors/Interim Managers).</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 20/05/2019 16:50:10 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126492

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Local Enterprise Partnerships: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the names are of each Local Enterprise Partnership; and which partnerships have appointed a board member with responsibility for rural issues.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254102
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The 38 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEPs) areas are Black Country; Buckinghamshire Thames Valley; Cambridge and Peterborough; Cheshire &amp; Warrington; Coast to Capital LEP; Cornwall &amp; Isles of Scilly; Coventry and Warwickshire; Cumbria; Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (D2N2); Dorset LEP; Enterprise M3; Gloucestershire (GFirst) LEP; Greater Birmingham and Solihull; Greater Lincolnshire; Greater Manchester; Heart of the South West; Hertfordshire; Humber LEP; Lancashire LEP; Leeds City Region; Leicester &amp; Leicestershire; Liverpool City Region LEP; London; New Anglia LEP; North East LEP; Oxfordshire LEP; Sheffield City Region LEP; Solent LEP; South East LEP; South East Midlands LEP; Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP; Swindon and Wiltshire LEP; Tees Valley LEP; Thames Valley Berkshire; The Marches; West of England LEP; Worcestershire LEP and York and North Yorkshire LEP.</p><p> </p><p>The following 12 LEPs have appointed a board member with an explicit responsibility for rural issues: Cheshire &amp; Warrington; Cornwall &amp; Isles of Scilly; Dorset LEP; Enterprise M3; Heart of the South West; New Anglia LEP; North East LEP; South East LEP; South East Midlands LEP; Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP; Swindon and Wiltshire LEP; and York and North Yorkshire LEP.</p><p> </p><p>Other Local Enterprise Partnerships manage rural issues in a variety of ways, for example in Gloucestershire (GFirst) there is a member of the LEP agri-food &amp; rural business sector group on the board, by the appointment of an agri-food champion (The Marches), through engagement at SME boards (Coventry and Warwickshire) and by drawing on the expertise of rural organisations (Worcestershire).</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 20/05/2019 16:04:27 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126498

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
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	Community Land Trusts: Rural Areas
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 he has plans to extend the role of Community Land Trusts in rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254103
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises that the community-led housing sector – of which Community Land Trusts are an important part – offers significant potential for helping to meet housing need across England, especially in rural areas. In addition to helping increase the rate of delivery of new housing, the sector will help deliver a range of benefits including diversifying the housebuilding sector, improving design and construction quality, developing modern methods of construction, and sustaining local communities and local economies. The support and close involvement of the local community enables the community-led approach to secure planning permission and deliver housing that could not be brought forward through speculative development.</p><p>The principal means by which my Department supports Community Land Trusts is through the annual £60 million Community Housing Fund. This fund makes revenue and capital grant available to support community-led housebuilding schemes, and supports a programme of training and development for organisations providing technical advice and guidance to community-led housebuilding groups. The Fund is currently scheduled to close in March 2020 and decisions on funding for 2020-21 onwards are a matter for the Spending Review, which will take place this year.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 20/05/2019 14:38:50 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126499

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that remote rural areas have access to free to use cash machines.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254104
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) is closely monitoring developments in ATM provision. The PSR regulates LINK, the scheme which runs the UK’s ATM network, and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over LINK’s commitments to preserve the broad geographic spread of the ATM network.</p><p> </p><p>LINK has put in place specific arrangements to protect free-to-use ATMs more than 1 kilometre away from the next nearest free-to-use ATM. LINK has also enhanced its Financial Inclusion Programme, increasing the funding available for free ATMs in the most remote rural and deprived areas of the UK.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 20/05/2019 15:55:15 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126513

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Cross Country Line: Bicycles
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to increase the (a) level of storage and (b) access to storage for bikes on trains at all stops on the route between Birmingham and Bristol.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254105
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department encourages the train operators and Network Rail to continue to increase provision for bike storage at stations where there is demand to do so. Provision for carriage for bikes on trains is a matter for the train operators to balance against the other demands on space - for example for passenger seating, luggage and universally accessible facilities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 20/05/2019 15:09:27 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126551

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Industry: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to include a heightened role for rural areas in the Government’s Industrial Strategy.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254106
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The Industrial Strategy is the Government’s long term plan to boost productivity by backing businesses to create high quality, well paid jobs for all throughout the United Kingdom. Industrial Strategy policies recognise that different areas require flexibility to respond to local needs and to build on local strengths, this includes people living and working in rural areas, which is why the Industrial Strategy is investing in skills, industries and infrastructure. The Strategy’s Foundations consider rural needs, and will continue to do. For example:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund enables investment in agritech</li><li>Apprenticeships are becoming a strong rural training route</li><li>We are investing in digital connectivity including 5G Rural First, and 5G Rural Integrated testbed pilots</li><li>Business productivity in SMEs are being tackled through Local Enterprise Partnerships and support from the British Business Bank</li></ul><p> </p><p>Furthermore, we have committed to developing Local Industrial Strategies with every Local Enterprise Partnership and Mayoral Combined Authority. Local Industrial Strategies provide an important opportunity for all rural areas to grow their economy by creating a bespoke approach to supporting the local economy and driving productivity. The government is committed to Local Industrial Strategies so that:</p><p> </p><ul><li>All places are able to increase productivity and realise their potential</li><li>We can set out the spatial impacts of national and local policy across our cities, towns and rural areas.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Building on local evidence, Local Industrial Strategies will therefore look to address challenges and opportunities across the foundations of productivity so that all rural communities can contribute to and benefit from economic prosperity.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 20/05/2019 16:04:40 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126606

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
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	Farmers: Suicide
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to suicides in the farming sector, what steps he is taking to monitor levels of distress in that sector.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254107
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>Defra takes the issue of farmers and agricultural workers’ wellbeing very seriously. I am aware that rates of suicide are higher across the agricultural sector generally than they are for the general population. I know that they often have a solitary lifestyle, it is hard work and their businesses are subject to unpredictable factors such as the weather. As part of the Future Farming programme we are looking at the impact of policies on wellbeing, and we are also working with partners to foster personal and business resilience.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our on-going work using data on the farming sector, we monitor the published ONS statistics on suicides by employment group. As well as headline mortality numbers, we keep under review the issues that may affect broader experiences of positive and negative wellbeing.</p><p> </p><p>Officials meet regularly with farming and rural charities to hear first-hand about resilience in the farming sector. This provides an indication of how farmers and farm workers are responding to any pressures affecting the sector.</p><p> </p><p>Government launched its first ever Loneliness Strategy in October 2018. One of Defra’s commitments is to hold regular stakeholder roundtables to tackle the issues of loneliness and isolation in rural areas. The next roundtable, to be chaired by Lord Gardiner, is being held on 11 June 2019. Defra also provides financial support through an annual grant of £1.7 million to Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), whose network of 38 rural community councils work on housing and transport issues that we know can affect farming communities.</p><p> </p><p>Defra works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on this issue. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy highlights the higher risk of suicide experienced by certain occupational groups, and this includes agricultural occupations. Through the Strategy, DHSC has ensured that every local authority has a suicide prevention plan in place to implement tailored approaches to reducing suicides based on the needs and demographics of local communities.</p><p> </p><p>In October 2018, the Prime Minister announced the first Minister for Suicide Prevention, and she recently met the Farming Community Network to understand better the issues facing farmers.</p><p> </p><p>It is important that farmers are aware of the people they can turn to if they are going through difficult times. In particular, the farming charities – the Farming Community Network, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution and the Addington Fund – all do a brilliant job in supporting farmers and their families. The National Farmers Union also has a regional network of advisers who can provide support.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 21/05/2019 14:49:38 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126607

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Dong Samuel Lauk and Aggrey Ezbon Idri
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his South Sudanese counterpart on the (a) kidnapping and subsequent death of opposition member Aggrey Idri and human rights lawyer Doug Samuel Luak and (b) need to bring the perpetrators of those crimes to justice.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254108
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The British Government is deeply disturbed by the UN Panel of Expert's findings that Dong Samuel Luak and Aggrey Idri were abducted from Kenya and executed in South Sudan by the South Sudanese national security service in 2017. We call on the South Sudanese Government to respond to these findings, and ensure that its defence and security forces are subject to the rule of law, to prevent future disappearances. <br> <br>The disappearance of these individuals and concerns for their safety have been raised by the British Ambassador, and by the UK Special Envoy for South Sudan with senior members of the South Sudanese Government on a number of occasions. The case has also been raised in Nairobi with the Kenyan authorities. This is part of a troubling pattern of harassment and intimidation of civic actors by South Sudanese authorities. The British Government regularly calls for the release of all political prisoners in accordance with the 12 September peace agreement. We also led efforts to renew the mandate of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan in March, and support the renewal of the Panel of Experts mandate due at the end of May. The work of these UN bodies is critical to exposing the perpetrators of human rights violations in South Sudan. ​</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 22/05/2019 15:03:00 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126610

registered interest
date	14/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	South Sudan: Detainees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of detentions of political activists in South Sudan; and what representations he has made to his South Sudanese counterparts on those detentions.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	254109
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The British Government believes that the number of political detainees in South Sudan remains high, despite a commitment to release all political detainees as part of the 12 September peace agreement. However, in the absence of information from the South Sudanese authorities, it is not possible to determine precise figures. <br> <br>We regularly press the Government of South Sudan for the release of all political prisoners in accordance with its commitments. An end to restrictions on freedom of expression is vital if South Sudan is to realise the opportunity of peace the September agreement offers. The Government of South Sudan's failure to comply with this provision of the agreement undermines confidence in their commitment to achieving a meaningful peace. In order to ensure transparency and respect for human rights, the South Sudanese authorities should also allow access to all detention facilities, including those of the national security service and military intelligence.​</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 22/05/2019 14:59:45 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew