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1110304

registered interest
date	08/04/2019
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: Children
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 Child Poverty Action Group's recent report on universal credit, published on 6 April 2019, what assessment she has made of the two-child limit policy on compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	242040
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government has assessed the impact of the two-child policy from an equality and human rights perspective throughout its development and in preparation for its implementation. Therefore, we consider that we have met our obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty and ensured compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the UN convention on the Rights of the Child.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s view is that providing support for a maximum of two children in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit, ensures fairness between claimants, and to those taxpayers who support themselves solely through work. Families on benefits should face the same financial choices when deciding to grow their family as those supporting themselves solely through work. A benefits structure adjusting automatically to family size is unsustainable.</p><p> </p><p>The Government continues to take action to help families with the cost of living, including raising the national living wage, reducing the UC earnings taper, raising the income tax personal allowance, introducing tax-free childcare and 30 hours a week of free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 11/04/2019 13:29:04 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109913

registered interest
date	05/04/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Developing Countries: Loans
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 effect on levels of transparency of making public the loans made by UK Government and its EU partners to the Global South.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	241410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>The main UK government agencies involved in lending to developing countries are: UK Export Finance (UKEF) and (historic loans only) the Department for International Development (DfID). Both publish details of the guarantees and loans they provide in their Annual Report and Accounts, which are published on their websites. Where UKEF provides financing for public borrowers or guarantors in developing countries, it is subject to OECD Sustainable Lending Principles.</p><p> </p><p>The UK strongly believes that transparency of loans is an important driver of debt sustainability. Given the complex international nature of sovereign debt, we continue to believe that internationally-agreed approaches are the most effective way to improve sovereign debt transparency and sustainability. We are working with our EU partners, and others, through the G20 to ensure the ongoing implementation of the G20’s agreed Operational Guidelines for Sustainable Financing for official creditors in 2017.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 10/04/2019 16:12:07 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109921

registered interest
date	05/04/2019
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	Periods: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the provision of (a) inclusive and (b) positive education about periods and the human body in schools.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	241411
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>The Minister for Women and Equalities recently announced a new Taskforce that will bring together representatives from all sectors to develop comprehensive and sustainable solutions to period poverty. Preparation for this has included discussions with a number of Ministerial colleagues.</p><p> </p><p>The Taskforce will present the opportunity for discussions on education around menstruation. The government is making Health Education compulsory in all state-funded schools, alongside Relationships Education for all primary pupils, and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for all secondary pupils from September 2020. As part of this subject, all pupils will be taught about menstruation and menstrual wellbeing at a timely point.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 10/04/2019 16:41:40 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1110008

registered interest
date	05/04/2019
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	Temporary Accommodation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the 2019 edition of the UK Housing Review, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the number of (a) homeless families living in temporary accommodation and (b) short-term lets.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	241412
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>The number of a) homeless families living in temporary accommodation in April-June 2018 was 61,480 of which 55,480 were in self-contained accommodation. Information is not collected on b) short term lets. Figures showing trends back to 2002 are shown in the Temporary accommodation tables available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness</a>.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 10/04/2019 13:37:40 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109746

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
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	Climate Change: Finance
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 steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of funding for natural climate solutions in relation to natural carbon sequestration.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	240968
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of nature-based carbon sequestration and our ambitious 25 Year Environment Plan committed to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. Mitigating and adapting to climate change is essential if we are to meet this goal and the Government is taking action to deliver on this.</p><p> </p><p>Tree planting is one of the main contributors to nature-based carbon sequestration and the Government supports this in a number of ways, including the manifesto commitment to plant 11 million trees by 2022. We also have a long term aspiration to increase woodland cover from 10% to 12%. Additionally, in the Autumn Budget the Chancellor announced £50 million to help support the planting of new woodlands through the Woodland Carbon Guarantee.</p><p> </p><p>In relation to soil carbon sequestration and protection of existing soil carbon stores, our focus is on peatland restoration, both through Government funding and supporting private sector initiatives. For example, we are currently spending £10 million on four large scale peatland restoration projects across England.</p><p> </p><p>Under the new Environmental Land Management Scheme we will pay land managers public money for public goods, which includes mitigation of climate change. This could be delivered through land managers sequestering carbon by, for example, peatland restoration and tree planting.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 09/04/2019 15:58:33 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109767

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
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	Pensions: Consumer Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of delivering the online pensions dashboard; and what the timescale is for that delivery.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	240970
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>Pensions dashboards are a digital democratiser – they will open up pensions to millions - providing an easy-to-access online view of a saver's pensions.</p><p> </p><p>Government’s work on dashboards builds upon the Pensions Dashboard Prototype Project, managed by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) with the involvement of 17 pensions firms. We believe that, in the long term, as they develop to become more sophisticated, pensions dashboards could, as a minimum and as set out in our consultation response, help to achieve the following objectives:</p><p> </p><p>- increase individual awareness,</p><p>- build individual control,</p><p>- increase engagement,</p><p>- support the guidance process,</p><p>- reconnect individuals with lost pension pots</p><p>- and enable more informed user choices.</p><p> </p><p>A key priority for 2019 is for the Money and Pensions Service to establish the industry delivery group, and we also expect to see industry creating and testing dashboards this year. Government is committed to compelling pension schemes to make consumers’ data available to them through their chosen dashboard. Schemes need to start getting ready now, particularly in terms of preparing data. Pension schemes should be ready to provide consumer’s information to them via dashboards within a three to four years window.</p><p> </p><p>A copy of the consultation with details on next steps, legislation and timelines can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pensions-dashboards-feasibility-report-and-consultation" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pensions-dashboards-feasibility-report-and-consultation</a></p><p> </p><p>There is a role for government in facilitating industry's delivery of dashboards which work for consumers and put people in control of their data. That’s why, at the Autumn Budget 2018, the Chancellor allocated £3.35 million worth of funding for 2019/20 to support this endeavour.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the government’s response to the consultation on pensions dashboards stated that the Money and Pensions Service will draw on the Financial Services Levy and the General Levy on pension schemes to fund the non-commercial dashboard and the dashboard architecture. This levy is paid for by pension schemes. Additionally, there have been associated usual staff running costs for the department relating to the development of the policy.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 09/04/2019 16:09:53 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109340

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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	Self-employed
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 steps his Department is taking to support freelancers.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	240521
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s December 2018 Good Work Plan sets out the vision for the future of the labour market and the ambitious plans for implementing the recommendations arising from the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has committed to legislate to improve the clarity of the employment status tests, reflecting the reality of modern working relationships. This will help to ensure that both businesses and individuals understand their rights and obligations.</p><p> </p><p>Employment status is a complex issue and so it is only right that we take time to consider how best to achieve change that works for all. We will bring forward detailed proposals on status in due course.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 08/04/2019 16:07:41 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109404

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that teachers are adequately trained to advise students on the benefits of apprenticeships.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	240522
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) provides a programme in schools and further education colleges across England called the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge for Schools (ASK) Programme, which provides a face-to-face and or digital services incorporating advice, information and continuous professional development resources for teachers.</p><p> </p><p>This service has been provided for students in years 10 to 13 since 2016 and will be extended to provide for students in years 7 to 9 for the 2019/20 academic year. In conjunction with this, we will seek feedback from teachers to inform our review of the content of the ASK programme to ensure that delivery is progressive throughout each school year.</p><p> </p><p>To complement this work, the ESFA also have developed Amazing Apprenticeships which is a resource portal for schools, colleges and those providing advice and guidance on apprenticeships. The site contains a wealth of useful resources that are downloadable and free of charge and includes a facility for schools to book a visit from a young apprenticeship ambassador or an ASK provider.</p><p>Every school and college must have a Careers Leader who co-ordinates their institution's careers provision and is responsible and accountable for the delivery of their school or college careers programme.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 08/04/2019 12:13:06 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109409

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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	Recycling
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 assessment he has made of the adequacy of sorting machines at recycling centres and their ability to distinguish between pieces of paper and flat pieces of plastic.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	240523
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government has not carried out such an assessment. Well-managed sorting facilities are generally able to distinguish and sort paper and plastics effectively. The most recent data published on materials recycling facilities sorting shows that 97.9% of material sorted as paper in England in the third quarter of 2018 was target material, meaning just 2.1% was contamination, such as plastic.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 08/04/2019 12:46:35 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1109422

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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	Dementia: Care Homes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of high quality dementia care homes available in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	240525
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>Commissioning social care is a matter for local authorities who are best placed to understand the needs of local people and communities, and how best to meet them. The Care Act 2014 placed duties on local authorities to shape their local markets so that there is an adequate supply of provision. This includes ensuring sufficient dementia care provision is available and that individuals have a choice of high quality services.</p><p> </p><p>There are 7,341 care homes in England that provide dementia care as of 1 April 2019. Of those that have a Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating, 76% are rated Good or Outstanding.</p><p> </p><p>There are 144 care homes in Staffordshire local authority that provide dementia care as of 1 April 2019. Of those that have a CQC rating, 59% are rated Good or Outstanding.</p><p> </p><p>The Green Paper, to be published at the earliest opportunity, will set out our proposals for a sustainable system in the long term and address issues related to the quality of care and variation in practice.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage grouped question UIN 240526 question first answered 08/04/2019 15:31:12 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly