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1090917

registered interest
date	18/03/2019
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	Donkeys and Horses: Animal Welfare
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 recent steps his Department has taken to reduce horse and donkey abandonment.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	233564
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2019 answer text <p>Defra is keen to ensure that we uphold our high standards of welfare including in relation to equines.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Control of Horses Act 2015 means landowners and occupiers can remove horses and other equines, including donkeys and their hybrids, that are unlawfully left on their land and immediately take them to a place of safety. Landowners must notify the local police within 24 hours of doing so, as well as the equine’s owner if identifiable.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Local authorities have powers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to investigate concerns about the ill-treatment or neglect of animals, and any person or organisation, such as the RSPCA, can take forward a private prosecution under the 2006 Act if there is sufficient evidence.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition, from October 2020 it will be mandatory for all owners to microchip their horses, ponies and donkeys. The new Central Equine Database will then allow local authorities and police to track down the owners of abandoned horses and ensure that appropriate action is taken, and the animals are given the care they deserve. It will also mean lost or stolen horses will be reunited with their owners more easily.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 27/03/2019 17:38:55 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1090918

registered interest
date	18/03/2019
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	Technology: New Businesses
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 steps the Government has taken to support tech start-ups in the Midlands.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	233565
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>In the Autumn Budget 2017 we announced investment of £21 million to expand Tech City UK into a nationwide network – Tech Nation – aimed at accelerating the growth of the digital tech sector across the country. The funding will help Tech Nation support 40,000 entrepreneurs and up to 4,000 start-ups as they scale their businesses across the UK. This includes Birmingham, with Tech Nation highlighting that digital tech turnover for the Midlands came in at £7.7billion in 2017.</p><p> </p><p>DCMS investments in the wider business environment are creating and developing the conditions for digital businesses in the Midlands to start and grow. In September 2018, the Government announced the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) as the lead partner of the Urban Connected Communities (UCC) Project. This initiative will see the development of a large-scale 5G pilot across the region, with hubs in cities such as Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.</p><p> </p><p>The UCC project will design wireless infrastructure to deliver high quality connectivity and allow new 5G applications to be trialled in a number of sectors; allow industry to test different deployment models for 5G infrastructure and help inform the development of policy and regulation to support 5G deployment. Up to £50 million is currently available for the UCC, including £25 million of DCMS funding.</p><p> </p><p>DCMS are supporting the West Midlands Digital Skills Partnership which was launched in December last year. Bringing together some key regional stakeholders, supported by industry partners and Government, the West Midlands are exploring innovative ways in which to improve the talent pipeline in the region.</p><p> </p><p>Government further recognises that supporting digital businesses in the Midlands requires us to encourage innovation and adoption of digital tech in other sectors. The emerging West Midlands Industrial Strategy identifies exciting opportunities around data-driven health diagnostics, which will provide opportunities to test and commercialise new technologies, among wider opportunities for industrial digitisation applicable to local economic strengths. My officials also look forward to working with partners in Leicester &amp; Leicestershire and Nottingham &amp; Nottinghamshire in the near future, as they open discussion with Government around their Local Industrial Strategies.</p> answering member constituency Stourbridge answering member printed Margot James question first answered 25/03/2019 15:25:38 answering member 4115 label Biography information for Margot James
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1090919

registered interest
date	18/03/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Nottinghamshire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the number of degree apprenticeships available in Nottinghamshire.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	233566
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>There are now 78 industry-designed apprenticeship standards available at level 6 and level 7, of which 60 are degree apprenticeships.</p><p>There were 10,880 starts on level 6+ apprenticeships, including degree apprenticeships, in 2017/18, a six-fold increase on the previous academic year.</p><p>We are supporting the development and take up of level 6+ and degree apprenticeships across England through the Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund (DADF). The fund has supported 103 education providers, 56 further education colleges and 47 higher education institutions, to boost capacity and internal infrastructure within higher education, including Nottingham Trent University.</p><p>The fund has supported a range of awareness raising activities aimed at higher, level 6+ and degree apprenticeship, including supporting 30 co-branded Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and National Apprenticeship service (NAS) careers fairs, offering access to 240,000 year 12 students.</p><p>DADF funding has also supported the NAS and UCAS to develop a higher and degree apprenticeships ‘vacancy finder’ consolidating many of these opportunities into one place. Approximately 2,000 vacancies, with 2019 starts, were published in November 2018.</p><p>We have also recently launched our ‘Opportunities through Apprenticeships’ campaign, working with partners in Portsmouth, Nottingham, South Tyneside and Torbay to increase participation in apprenticeships particularly at higher levels.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 26/03/2019 08:40:36 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1090973

registered interest
date	18/03/2019
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	Occupational Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to encourage the uptake of occupational health schemes among employers.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	233596
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government wants to see employers of all sizes create healthy workplaces where people can thrive. We will consult this year on measures to encourage and support all employers to play their part and to improve access to occupational health.</p><p> </p><p>Advice from an Occupational Health Expert Group is helping shape proposals. We have also commissioned research to better understand the current market supply and delivery structures of OH provision and its operation. Findings are due to be published in 2019.</p><p> </p><p>Tax incentives are currently available to employers to encourage investment in employee health and wellbeing, including relief for employer-funded medical treatment up to £500 where there has been a recommendation from an occupational health professional and the employee has been absent for 28 days.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 25/03/2019 17:24:50 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1086586

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
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	Water Sports
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 assessment he has made of the effect of current access rights to water on paddlesport participation in England.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	230877
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s sport strategy, Sporting Future, encourages and promotes outdoor recreation. Use of our waterways by all can be a creative and fun way to engage with the natural world and to stay healthy.</p><p> </p><p>Sport England is actively engaged with British Canoeing and the Canal and River Trust to get more people from all backgrounds active. In addition Sport England is providing £6.85m to British Canoeing for the period between 2017 to 2021.</p><p> </p><p>The ‘public rights of navigation’ issue around access to waterways is dealt with by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and they are currently working with British Canoeing to consider solutions to access disputes.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 19/03/2019 11:24:36 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1086588

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Roads: Nottinghamshire
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 allocated to (a) Mansfield and (b) Nottinghamshire from the Pothole Action Fund in each year since that fund's inception.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	230879
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2019 answer text <p>Nottinghamshire County Council, as local highway authority, is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the local road network, including for the Mansfield constituency.</p><p> </p><p>The funding allocated to Nottinghamshire County Council by the Department for Transport from the Pothole Action Fund, since its inception, is shown in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Pothole Action Fund £m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>0.839</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>1.989</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>0.839</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>3.667</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 13/03/2019 14:14:39 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1086703

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Post-18 Education and Funding Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to consult with organisations from the higher education, further education and school sectors on the forthcoming recommendations of the post-18 education and funding review.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	230900
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>The independent panel has undertaken an extensive programme of engagement with stakeholders and experts as part of the post-18 education and funding review – including a call for evidence that received over 400 responses. The government will continue to engage with stakeholders, including organisations from the higher education, further education and school sectors, to ensure it delivers a post-18 education system that is joined up and supported by a funding system that works for students and taxpayers.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 19/03/2019 15:41:40 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1086706

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Post-18 Education and Funding Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government’s commitment not to impose a cap on the number of students that can access post-18 education applies to all forms of post-18 education.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	230901
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>We have no intention to re-introduce a cap on the number of students accessing post-18 education. We want our education system to provide opportunities for everybody to improve their position in life. That is why we abolished the pre-existing cap on higher education student numbers and reduced barriers to entry. Record numbers of disadvantaged students are now going to university.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 19/03/2019 15:51:07 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1086721

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
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	Hedgehogs: East Midlands
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 recent steps he has taken to tackle the decline in hedgehog numbers in the East Midlands.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	230910
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government has published advice on how to help hedgehogs through the creation of hedgehog havens and making gardens as welcoming as possible. This can be accessed at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/news/five-simple-steps-to-transform-gardens-in-to-hedgehog-havens" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/news/five-simple-steps-to-transform-gardens-in-to-hedgehog-havens</a></p><p> </p><p>We support the excellent work being undertaken by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, such as the Hedgehog Street campaign and their Conservation Strategy for Hedgehogs which sets out a ten year approach to supporting this species. Natural England is taking action to address some of the objectives in this strategy.</p><p> </p><p>As set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan, we are committed to creating or restoring 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat to provide benefits for species such as the hedgehog. Agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship provide funding to restore, extend and link important habitats and boost food resources for a range of species including hedgehogs.</p><p> </p><p>These actions are at a national level. We do not hold information on how they are being taken forward in the East Midlands specifically.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 14/03/2019 17:00:23 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley

1083523

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
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	Smoking: Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS rollout of lung cancer scanning programmes, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of smoking cessation methods.
tabling member constituency	Mansfield
tabling member printed	Ben Bradley
uin	229719
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2019 answer text <p>The evidence is clear that expert face-to-face support from a local stop smoking service, combined with stop smoking aids, is the most effective quitting method. People who get this support are up to four times as likely to stop smoking successfully as those who try to quit unaided. This evidence can be viewed at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.ncsct.co.uk/publication_Stop_smoking_services_impact_on_quitting.php" target="_blank">http://www.ncsct.co.uk/publication_Stop_smoking_services_impact_on_quitting.php</a></p><p> </p><p>Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning stop smoking services that meet the identified need in their areas and are targeted at the people who need it most.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England published the Standard Protocol for the Targeted Lung Health Check programme which says participants will be asked about their smoking habits when they attend a lung health check, and offered smoking cessation advice and treatment. This programme can be viewed at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/targeted-screening-for-lung-cancer/" target="_blank">https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/targeted-screening-for-lung-cancer/</a></p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 15/03/2019 12:27:55 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	4663 label Biography information for Ben Bradley