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1249665

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Broadband
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 plans he has to reform the Electronic Communications Code to support the rapid rollout of full fibre digital infrastructure to (a) private new build developments, (b) publicly owned social housing and (c) unadopted roads.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	112970
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>We intend to consult on whether further reforms to Electronic Communications Code (the Code) are necessary to support investment in networks. My Department is working closely with stakeholders within the private and public sector to understand whether the current legislative framework supports the delivery of the gigabit-capable infrastructure.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In developing the consultation, officials will take into account changes needed to ensure the Code is fit for purpose. This will include considering publicly owned social housing and unadopted roads. The Government has recently published guidance to local authorities with regard to public assets, such as social housing. This is available on the Government’s <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-connectivity-portal" target="_blank">Digital Connectivity Portal</a> here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-connectivity-portal" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-connectivity-portal</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We will also bring forward legislation to deliver gigabit broadband to the majority of new homes at minimal costs to developers. As part of this, the Government is seeking to amend the Building Regulations 2010 to require housing developers to provide gigabit broadband unless the costs to the developer exceeds £2,000.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 17/11/2020 19:36:28 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1249666

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Telecommunications: Council Housing
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 guidance is available for local authorities to help them negotiate wayleaves for their housing stock with telecoms infrastructure providers.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	112971
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>On 27th August, I wrote, together with the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, to all tier-1 local authorities in the country on the subject of telecoms infrastructure deployment. This letter highlighted newly published Government guidance on how local authorities can 1) enable access to public assets, such as housing stock, and 2) ensure appropriate valuation of assets for access agreements.</p><p>My Department’s Barrier Busting Task Force has offered to meet each authority individually to discuss this guidance and issues particular to each area. Kent County Council took up this offer on the 13th October. Many authorities are taking a proactive approach across the UK, including Croydon, for example, which has signed master wayleaves to connect their social housing stock to gigabit broadband.</p><p>Further guidance on these matters can be found on the Government’s <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-connectivity-portal" target="_blank">Digital Connectivity Portal</a>.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 16/11/2020 15:29:34 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1241258

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Hospitals: Parking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what enforcement powers he has to require hospital trusts to make disabled parking bays free.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	100272
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>These new requirements are being mandated through the NHS Standard Contract, to make car parking more consistent across England. The 2020/21 contract asked the National Health Service in England to do all it can to implement them from April 2020, and requires it to do so from January 2021.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 16/10/2020 08:38:06 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1240398

registered interest
date	05/10/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Computers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to extend the duration of the scheme for providing computers at home for disadvantaged children; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	98859
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2020 answer text <p>The Department has delivered over 220,000 laptops and tablets, and over 50,000 4G wireless routers, to children who would not have otherwise had online access, as part of over £100 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care.</p><p>The laptops and tablets were an injection of support to help local authorities and academy trusts to provide access to education and social care during the COVID-19 restriction period. Laptops and tablets are owned by the local authority, academy trust or school, who can choose to lend unused laptops and tablets to children and young people who need them most, and who may face disruption to face-to-face education in the event of future local COVID-19 restrictions.</p><p>The Department is now supplementing this support by making available 250,000 additional laptops and tablets in the event that face-to-face schooling is disrupted as a result of local COVID-19 restrictions and children become reliant on remote education. This scheme is intended to enable schools to support disadvantaged children in years 3 to 11 who cannot afford their own laptops and tablets. Schools will also be able to order laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children across all year groups who are shielding as a result of official or medical advice, all year groups who attend hospital schools, and those completing their Key Stage 4 at a further education college.</p><p>In the event that face-to-face education is disrupted, we know that it is critical to get schools the support that they need in the shortest timeframe. The majority of laptops and tablets ordered through this scheme will be delivered within two working days, subject to availability.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 08/10/2020 16:13:08 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1240412

registered interest
date	05/10/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Thameslink Line: Maidstone
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his timescale is for the introduction of improvements to the Thameslink service to Maidstone East.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	98860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2020 answer text <p>Officials continue to work with the industry to resolve the issues which have so far prevented a regular service from being introduced and to provide passengers in Maidstone with a regular all-day service to the City at the earliest opportunity.</p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 08/10/2020 15:39:28 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1239252

registered interest
date	30/09/2020
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	Supported Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on setting up a Housing with Care task force; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	97447
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government welcomes the work of specialist older people’s housing providers in building homes and meeting the needs of our aging population. We are already engaging with specialist providers as we take forwards our plan to build the homes our country needs, including our reform and modernisation of the planning system. Ministers and officials will continue to engage with this sector going forwards.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 08/10/2020 16:43:17 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1231198

registered interest
date	03/09/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of the DVLA since April 2020.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	84629
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2020 answer text <p>The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has a wide range of services available online which offer the quickest and easiest way to transact with the DVLA. These online services have worked well and as normal throughout the pandemic with more than 36 million online driver and vehicle transactions processed since March. The majority of DVLA’s customer interactions are digital or automated allowing businesses and motorists to transact with DVLA at a time and place that suits them.</p><p> </p><p>The DVLA’s 6,000 staff are predominantly based in one office in Swansea and to adhere to social distancing requirements there has been a greatly reduced number of staff on-site at any one time. As a result, there have been delays in dealing with paper applications that have been posted to the DVLA as these have to be dealt with in person. The DVLA has implemented measures to reconfigure its office space to accommodate more operational staff within the two metre social distancing requirements in Wales and ensure it remains covid secure.</p><p> </p><p>The DVLA has also accelerated the development of new online services to further reduce paper applications and has launched a publicity campaign to encourage the use of online services.</p><p> </p><p>In June, the DVLA launched a new service allowing vehicle keepers to change their address online. This service was developed and introduced at pace in response to the pandemic and has been very successful with more than 213,000 change of address transactions completed online by the end of August. Further digital service enhancements are underway. Ministers are regularly briefed on the latest position as it relates to the DVLA’s services.</p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean question first answered 10/09/2020 13:33:30 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1217468

registered interest
date	24/06/2020
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	Housing: Construction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to relax housing delivery targets for local authorities in 2020-21 in response to the covid19 outbreak, and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	64042
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2020 answer text <p>We note the concerns you raise regarding Housing Delivery Test under current circumstances. It is important to keep the planning system moving as much as we can, so that it is able to play its full part in the economic recovery to come, but we will continue to monitor the situation.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 02/07/2020 14:44:15 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1217584

registered interest
date	24/06/2020
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	5G
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to bring forward legislation to reform permitted development rights to support the (a) deployment of 5G and (b) expansion of mobile coverage.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	64043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2020 answer text <p>In August 2019, a joint consultation by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was launched to consider amending permitted development rights to support increased mobile coverage and 5G deployment.</p><p>The consultation closed on 04 November 2019. The Government is considering the replies and will issue a response in due course. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, if the proposals are taken forward, we anticipate undertaking a further consultation on the detail of those proposals.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 02/07/2020 14:45:06 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1191647

registered interest
date	29/04/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Insurance: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to enforce the payment of insurance claims arising from the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	41364
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government is in continual dialogue with the insurance sector about its contribution to handling this unprecedented situation. The Government is also working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure that the rules are being upheld during this crisis.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim, and appropriate information on its progress; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed. In addition, the FCA has said that, in light of COVID-19, insurers must consider very carefully the needs of their customers and show flexibility in their treatment of them.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, on 1 May, the FCA published guidance for firms, which sets out their expectations of firms when considering the fair treatment of existing customers, and in particular those customers experiencing or reasonably expecting to experience temporary financial difficulties due to circumstances arising from COVID-19.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA is working closely with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), an independent body set up to provide arbitration in cases where consumers feel they have been unfairly treated. The decision of the FOS is binding on insurers up to £350,000.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that consumers facing financial difficulty will require support from elsewhere. The Government has announced unprecedented support for businesses and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including an initial £330 billion of guarantees equivalent to 15% of UK GDP.</p><p> </p><p>We have made significant changes to the operation of statutory sick pay, universal credit, and employment and support allowance to ensure that people have quicker and more generous access to a support system, and we have taken further immediate steps to give businesses access to cash to pay their rent, salaries or suppliers.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 04/05/2020 10:25:12 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green