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1258955

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Criminal Legal Aid Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What progress he is making on the second phase of the Criminal Legal Aid Review.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	909935
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2020 answer text <p>In August we announced that the next phase of the Criminal Legal Aid Review will be independently led, bringing in outside expertise and fresh perspectives in order to deliver meaningful change. This will enable the review to widen its focus, ensuring the sustainability of the Criminal Legal Aid System as a whole.</p><p> </p><p>We are working closely with key stakeholders to ensure that the Review is set up as quickly as possible. It is essential that we appoint the right chair and expert panel so that the review can deliver a robust, evidence-based assessment of the criminal legal aid market. At present, we are working to identify and appoint the right candidate for the role. We aim to launch the review before the end of the year.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 08/12/2020 16:34:04 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259167

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Social Distancing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has his Department made on deploying and promoting mobile and app technology to help rail passengers socially distance whilst travelling.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126950
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2020 answer text <p>Rail operators are working hard to facilitate social distancing between passengers wherever possible, in line with Public Health England advice. Operators are providing information about train loadings on their website, allowing passengers to make informed choices, and are monitoring the number of passengers who board services. A free personalised messaging service, ‘Alert Me by Messenger’, is also available via the National Rail Enquiries (NRE) website. It provides real-time alerts on journey disruption and crowding. This helps passengers make safer travel choices, such as travelling off-peak where possible, and improves safety and efficiency on the rail network. Since June, the NRE service has sent around 3 million alerts.</p><p>People should seek to book tickets online wherever possible and to plan ahead, and operators are highlighting on their websites the services that are quieter or busier to enable travellers to make informed decisions.</p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 16/12/2020 17:24:59 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259172

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Fares
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with rail operators on the potential merits of temporarily suspending peak fares during the Christmas period.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126951
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>A number of train companies are planning to relax peak travel restrictions over the Christmas period, including Avanti West Coast, London North Eastern Railway, CrossCountry and East Midlands Railways, while others are planning to lift restrictions on some services or on particular days such as Christmas Eve.</p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 14/12/2020 17:46:01 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259176

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: Coronavirus
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 ensure that students can return safely to university after the Christmas period safely.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126952
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2020 answer text <p>On 2 December, the Department published guidance related to the return of students to higher education (HE) for the spring term: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term</a>.</p><p>The guidance sets out that all HE providers should offer asymptomatic mass testing to all students on their return. Improved access to asymptomatic testing for the initial return of students in the spring term provides further support to universities to manage the risk of transmission and take swift action to respond to any cases.</p><p>Universities have put a wide range of measures in place to make teaching and learning environments as safe as possible. We have not seen evidence of an increased transmission risk in these carefully managed teaching environments.</p><p>To help reduce the risk of transmission from mass movement we have advised that students return to university during a period staggered over five weeks. This will reduce the number of people travelling at once while balancing the importance of reducing disruption to education. The staggered return approach will also support testing capacity.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 15/12/2020 16:42:23 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259177

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: 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 effect of covid-19 restrictions on the ability of university students to access their course content.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126953
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2020 answer text <p>As I set out in a letter to MPs on 9 October and in a letter to Vice-Chancellors on 2 November, the government’s clear and stated expectation is that, whether providers are delivering face-to-face, online or blended provision, the quality and quantity of tuition, and accessibility for all students, is maintained. The OfS has made it clear that all higher education providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high-quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes and that standards are protected. They have also set out that providers must continue to provide sufficient and appropriate facilities, learning resources and student support services to deliver a high-quality academic experience.</p><p>Higher education providers must continue to comply with their legal obligations under the Equality Act (2010), ensuring that education and learning is accessible to all students. When making changes to the delivery of their courses, higher education providers need to consider how to support all students, particularly the most vulnerable, to achieve successful academic and professional outcomes.</p><p>The OfS is taking very seriously the potential impacts of COVID-19 on teaching and learning and is regularly engaging with all registered providers. It is actively monitoring those providers which have moved provision predominantly online due to COVID-19 restrictions to ensure: that they maintain the quality of their provision, that it is accessible for all and that they have been clear in their communications with students about how arrangements for teaching and learning may change throughout the year. The OfS is also following up directly with providers where they receive notifications from students, parents or others raising concerns about the quality of teaching on offer and requiring providers to report to them when they are not able to deliver a course or award a qualification. If the OfS has concerns, it will investigate further.</p><p>The government is aware of the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 is having on some students. That is why the government has already worked closely with the OfS to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding to increase hardship funds and support disadvantaged students impacted by COVID-19. Providers can use the funding, worth around £256 million for the academic year 2020/21, starting from August, towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment or connectivity services where students would not otherwise be able to secure these. On 2 December, we announced that the government will also be making available up to £20 million of hardship funding on a one-off basis to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students.</p><p>Students have rights under consumer law that they may be able to rely on if they are dissatisfied with their provider’s response to COVID-19. In the first instance, students should speak to their provider to see if they can resolve their issue. We expect student complaints and appeals processes to be operated flexibly, accessibly, and sympathetically by providers to resolve any concerns. If a student at a provider in England or Wales is not satisfied with their provider’s final response, they can make a complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, which has published guidance on this issue, available at: <a href="https://www.oiahe.org.uk/students/" target="_blank">https://www.oiahe.org.uk/students/</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 16/12/2020 10:49:25 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259179

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: 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 prevent the spread of covid-19 in university accommodation when students return after the Christmas break.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126954
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2020 answer text <p>The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in higher education is always our priority. The government is doing all it can to minimise the risks to those working and studying in our higher education institutions during this unprecedented situation, whilst mitigating the impact on education.</p><p>The government is committed to prioritising education and wants to enable all students, including those who have travelled home for the winter break, to return to university as safely as possible. On 2 December 2020 we published guidance on students returning to higher education for spring term, which sets out our plans for staggering the return of students over a 5-week period. This guidance is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term</a>.</p><p>Universities have responded well to COVID-19 outbreaks and continue to learn lessons on how to minimise the risks and support students. Improved access to asymptomatic testing for the initial return of students in the spring term provides further support to universities to manage the risk of transmission and take swift action to respond to any cases.</p><p>I have also written to universities asking them to ensure that self-isolating students have a range of choices available for access to food and other essential supplies. This includes providing food to those that need it and facilitating deliveries that will not require students to leave the accommodation where they are self-isolating, thereby preventing the spread of COVID-19.</p><p>We strongly encourage students to take a test when they return to university, to help mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, and keep themselves and others safe.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 16/12/2020 10:28:47 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259190

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Sri Lanka: Water Supply
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his counterpart in Sri Lanka on the effect of the Chunnakam power plant complex on Northern Sri Lanka's water supply.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126955
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2020 answer text <p>We are aware of the challenges Sri Lanka faces around water management and quality and the unique challenges faced by communities in Northern Sri Lanka. Staff at the British High Commission in Colombo raised the issue of water quality during a visit to the North in July. A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka, including the national water supply and drainage board, have conducted tests and compensation was offered to those affected by water pollution caused by the Chunnakam Power plant. We will continue to engage with local government in the North to ensure these concerns around water management and quality are understood, and that measures are taken to ensure clean water.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 16/12/2020 17:49:08 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259192

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Sri Lanka: Water Supply
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Sri Lankan counterpart on an independent international investigation into the Chunnakam water contamination in Sri Lanka.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126956
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>We are aware of the challenges Sri Lanka faces around water management and quality and the unique challenges faced by communities in Northern Sri Lanka. Staff at the British High Commission in Colombo raised the issue of water quality during a visit to the North in July. A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka, including the national water supply and drainage board, have conducted tests and compensation was offered to those affected by water pollution caused by the Chunnakam Power plant. We will continue to engage with local government in the North to ensure these concerns around water management and quality are understood, and that measures are taken to ensure clean water.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 14/12/2020 17:14:10 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259291

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Freight
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with freight rail operating companies on the end of the transition period.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126957
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>The Department has engaged extensively with the rail freight industry in the run up to the end of the transition period. Officials meet regularly with rail freight operators and relevant industry bodies, through both Ministerial and senior official led roundtable meetings, to ensure freight operators are preparing effectively for our new trading relationship with the EU. We have published formal guidance on running domestic and cross-border rail operations from 1 January 2021.</p><p> </p><p>The Department also engages on a very regular basis specifically with cross-border freight operators to ensure they have the necessary arrangements in place and are well prepared for all scenarios from 1 January 2021.</p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 14/12/2020 17:37:49 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1259296

registered interest
date	08/12/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Passengers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has undertaken modelling on the number of passengers planning on travelling by rail from 23 to 27 December 2020.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	126958
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>The Department is working closely with rail operators and industry partners to ensure the railway is prepared to meet passengers’ needs. This includes on-going work to analyse bookings data and passenger travel intentions over the Christmas period.</p><p> </p><p>Operators are reviewing their operational plans, and are taking all necessary steps to provide information and support for passengers. The industry is implementing measures to manage passenger flows at busy stations, including at locations that may be served by rail replacement buses during engineering works.</p><p> </p><p>The Chair of Network Rail, Sir Peter Hendy, is carrying out a rigorous assessment of transport operators’ preparedness to ensure everything possible is being done to help.</p><p> </p><p>As transport routes may be busier than normal, it is essential that people plan their journeys and book tickets in advance wherever possible. Operators are highlighting on their websites the services that are quieter or busier to enable travellers to make informed decisions, but we strongly urge passengers to take all suitable precautions this winter.</p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 14/12/2020 17:50:59 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi