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1253921

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	High Speed 1 Line: Brexit
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 potential effect on rail crossings between the UK and France of ending the transition period without a deal with the EU.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	118089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2020 answer text <p>The continuation of cross-border services between the UK and France is not contingent upon the outcome of negotiations with the EU. The Government has been working closely with the international rail industry to prepare for the end of the Transition Period, including preparing for changes to licensing and certification requirements, as well as changes to border procedures. The Government has also been supporting the relevant stakeholders to put in place robust contingency arrangements to secure the continuation of cross-border services in all scenarios.</p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 24/11/2020 15:26:06 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253923

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways
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 potential effect on the UK's (a) rail industry and (b) rail network of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	118090
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2020 answer text <p>There is not a specific chapter covering rail in the negotiations between the UK and the EU. This is because we want to ensure the UK gains the flexibility to set rules that meets the needs of the UK domestic rail network. Department for Transport officials continue to work closely with government departments on areas that are important and impact on the rail industry and the rail network.</p><p> </p><p>Department for Transport officials engage very regularly with the rail industry to ensure they are preparing effectively and appropriately for 1 January 2021. In addition to this, we have published formal guidance on running domestic and cross-border rail operations from 1 January.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 24/11/2020 11:24:23 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253925

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions has he had with rail industry stakeholders on the effect of ending the transition period without a deal with EU.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	118091
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2020 answer text <p>Department for Transport officials have worked closely and constructively with the rail industry since the EU Referendum and with a particular focus, over the last 12 months, in ensuring they are preparing effectively and appropriately for 1 January 2021. Officials hold regular senior roundtable meetings with rail trade bodies, weekly and have fortnightly individual engagement with key parties. Rachel Maclean MP, Minister responsible for EU Transition and Future Relationship, has also met with members of the “Rail EU Stakeholder Roundtable” as recently as 17 November 2020.</p><p> </p><p>We are also engaging with government departments on cross-cutting areas important to the rail industry, providing written comprehensive guidance regularly and meetings, reaching out to as many businesses within the rail sector as possible, to ensure that they can operate smoothly following the end of the transition period.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to this, we have published formal guidance on running domestic and cross-border rail operations from 1 January.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 24/11/2020 15:28:20 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253928

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Wholesale Trade: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Federation of Wholesale Distributors on wholesaler’s eligibility for Business Rates Relief.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	118092
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government has been in contact with the Federation of Wholesale Distributors. The Government has provided Local Authorities with £1.1 billion across England via the Additional Restrictions Grant, for businesses which are not legally closed, but which are nonetheless severely affected by local or national restrictions.</p><p> </p><p>Local Authorities have discretion on how to use this funding to support businesses in their areas, but the Government encourages them to set up discretionary grant schemes to support businesses such as wholesalers which can remain open, but which are nonetheless severely affected by the enhanced COVID-19 restrictions.</p><p>There are currently no plans to change the scope of existing business rates relief. HM Treasury is conducting a fundamental review of the business rates system and will consider any future reliefs through that process.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 118093 question first answered 24/11/2020 10:47:17 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253942

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Federation of Wholesale Distributors
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he intends to meet with the Federation of Wholesale Distributors to discuss the effect of covid-19 on wholesalers.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	118093
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government has been in contact with the Federation of Wholesale Distributors. The Government has provided Local Authorities with £1.1 billion across England via the Additional Restrictions Grant, for businesses which are not legally closed, but which are nonetheless severely affected by local or national restrictions.</p><p> </p><p>Local Authorities have discretion on how to use this funding to support businesses in their areas, but the Government encourages them to set up discretionary grant schemes to support businesses such as wholesalers which can remain open, but which are nonetheless severely affected by the enhanced COVID-19 restrictions.</p><p>There are currently no plans to change the scope of existing business rates relief. HM Treasury is conducting a fundamental review of the business rates system and will consider any future reliefs through that process.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 118092 question first answered 24/11/2020 10:47:17 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253955

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
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 support schools and colleges with covid-19 related financial costs.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	118094
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2020 answer text <p>The Department appreciates the continued and significant efforts made by schools and their staff to keep schools open this term. Returning to school full time has been vital for children’s education and for their wellbeing and has rightly been a national priority. Latest figures show that over 99% of state-funded schools are open.</p><p>The Department published guidance to support schools to welcome back all children full time. The guidance can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools</a>.</p><p>Schools have also continued to receive their core funding allocations throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Following last year’s Spending Round, school budgets are rising by £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20. This includes an additional £780 million this year and £730 million next year for high needs, taking total high needs funding to over £8 billion. As stated in our guidance, schools should use their existing resources, including these funding increases, when making arrangements to support children this term.</p><p>Ministers and officials continue to engage regularly with school leaders and their representatives on a wide range of issues around COVID-19, including discussions in relation to costs faced by schools at this time.</p><p>The Department also recognises the great efforts made by further education (FE) colleges and their staff to keep colleges open this term, and the financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the sector. We have protected grant funding to the FE sector, worth over £3 billion, for a full year through paying scheduled monthly profiled payments for the remainder of the 2019/20 funding year and paying allocations for 2020/21 in line with the national profile. This year, the Department has increased investment in education and training of 16-19 year olds by £400 million, including an increased base rate, and more funding for high cost and high value subjects. We have also brought forward £200 million of the £1.5 billion for capital funding in colleges. For other providers with Education, Skills and Funding Agency contracts, we set up a Provider Relief Scheme.</p><p>For colleges in significant financial difficulties, the existing support arrangements remain in place, including short-term emergency funding. The Department adapted and opened the College Collaboration Fund to support colleges to respond to current challenges, and we have announced the 20 colleges whose bids were successful on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/college-collaboration-fund-ccf" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced an extensive and unprecedented package of support measures for businesses and employees. FE colleges can apply to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for non-grant-funded employees, which has been extended until March 2021.</p><p>The Department is working closely with colleges to monitor the financial impacts of COVID-19 and ensure that any colleges facing financial difficulties are able to access relevant support. Financial forecasts for the current year were submitted by colleges in July, and updated cashflow projections are due to be provided this month.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 27/11/2020 17:15:53 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253957

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Public Transport: Information Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2020 to Question 73950, what recent progress his Department has made increasing the visibility and promotion of the Zipabout Passenger Connect service.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	118095
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2020 answer text <p>The National Rail Enquiry Service (NRES) has sent around 3 million messages to rail customers since June via the <em>Alert M</em>e service provided by Zipabout. The Rail Delivery Group is currently preparing for a wider roll out of <em>Alert Me</em> to include the train operators’ own digital platforms.</p><p> </p><p><em>Alert Me</em> is currently delivered via the Facebook Messenger platform and should also be live on WhatsApp very shortly, extending its reach further.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 26/11/2020 13:16:26 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253304

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the financial implications of covid-19 related expenditure for (a) schools and (b) colleges.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	117347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2020 answer text <p>The Department appreciates the continued and significant efforts by schools and their staff to keep schools open this term. Returning to school full time has been vital for children’s education and wellbeing, and has rightly been a national priority. The latest published figures show that over 99% of state-funded schools are open. The Department published guidance to support schools to welcome back all children full-time. The guidance can be viewed at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools</a>.</p><p>On 27 November, the Department announced a new COVID-19 workforce fund for schools and colleges to help them remain open. It will fund the costs of teacher absences over a threshold in schools and colleges, for those with high staff absences that are also facing significant financial pressures. The fund will help schools and colleges to meet the cost of absences experienced during the period from the beginning of November until the end of this term. More information is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-funding-to-support-schools-and-colleges-during-covid-pandemic" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-funding-to-support-schools-and-colleges-during-covid-pandemic</a>.</p><p>Schools have also continued to receive their core funding allocations throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Following last year’s Spending Round, school budgets are rising by £2.6 billion in the 2020-21 financial year, £4.8 billion in 2021-22, and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20. This includes an additional £780 million this year and £730 million next year for high needs, taking total high needs funding to over £8 billion.</p><p>As stated in our guidance, schools should use their existing resources, including these funding increases, when making arrangements to support children this term. Ministers and officials continue to engage regularly with school leaders and their representatives on a wide range of issues around COVID-19, including discussions in relation to costs faced by schools at this time. The Department will continue to review the pressures schools are facing into next term.</p><p>The Department appreciates the continued and significant efforts by further education (FE) colleges and all staff to keep colleges open this term. We recognise the financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on FE colleges and have protected grant funding to the FE sector, worth over £3 billion for a full year, through paying scheduled monthly profiled payments for the remainder of the 2019-20 financial year and paying allocations for 2020-21 in line with the national profile. This year, the Department has increased investment in education and training of 16 to 19 year olds by £400 million, including an increased base rate, and more funding for high cost and high value subjects. We have also brought forward £200 million of the £1.5 billion for capital funding in colleges. For other providers with contracts with the Education and Skills Funding Agency, we set up a Provider Relief Scheme.</p><p>For colleges in significant financial difficulties, the existing support arrangements remain in place, including short-term emergency funding. The Department has also adapted and opened the College Collaboration Fund to support colleges to respond to current challenges, and we have announced the 20 colleges whose bids were successful.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced an extensive and unprecedented package of support measures for businesses and employees. FE colleges can apply to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for non-grant-funded employees, which has been extended until March 2021.</p><p>The Department is working closely with colleges to monitor the financial impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak and ensure that any colleges facing financial difficulties are able to access relevant support. Financial forecasts for the current year were submitted by colleges in July, and updated cashflow projections are due to be provided this month.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 01/12/2020 18:53:52 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253460

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Solar Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of using solar panels to power signalling and lights on the railway.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	117348
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government supports the increased use of renewable energy to decarbonise the railway. As part of its Environmental Sustainability Strategy published this year, Network Rail is working to develop large-scale renewable energy generation on the rail estate. Electricity generated in this way may be used to power trains or for other uses.</p><p> </p><p>Network Rail is also developing new technology to power lighting and generators using solar and battery energy through the Site of the Future project.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 23/11/2020 14:11:50 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1253466

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Electrification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of electrifying the remaining railway lines, where it is feasible to do so.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	117349
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>The Network Rail-led Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy will inform decisions about the scale and pace of rail decarbonisation. Further electrification will not be the best solution to achieve decarbonisation across all of the currently unelectrified network. Where electrification is the right solution, the Department will assess costs as individual electrification schemes are developed.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 23/11/2020 14:23:09 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi