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994109

registered interest
date	24/10/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Divorce
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the planned timescale is for the consultation on no-fault divorce.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	183344
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2018 answer text <p>The consultation on the reform of legal requirements for divorce was launched on 15 September 2018. Proposals include removing the requirement for couples to evidence either the other spouse’s conduct (often called “fault”) or the couple’s separation, in order to reduce conflict within the divorce process and help families make arrangements for the future. The consultation is running for 12 weeks and closes on 10 December 2018. The Government will publish its response in due course.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 01/11/2018 16:08:52 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

994122

registered interest
date	24/10/2018
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Crown Prosecution Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, if he will ensure that only the Crown Prosecution Service is able to make decisions on the charging of individuals.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	183346
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2018 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutes criminal cases that have been investigated by the police and other investigative organisations in England and Wales.</p><p>The statutory framework that determines by whom an offence is charged is set out in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.</p><p>The CPS determines the appropriate charges in more serious or complex cases. Minor offences are charged by the police.</p><p>The CPS advises the police on cases for possible prosecution, and reviews cases submitted by the police for prosecution in accordance with the principles set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 01/11/2018 12:39:37 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

989525

registered interest
date	17/10/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Emergency Services: Unmanned Air Vehicles
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department made of the use of drones by the Police and Fire Services of the effectiveness of those services in relation to (a) difficult to reach areas, (b) incidents involving a danger to life and limb and (c) public disorder events.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	180702
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2018 answer text <p>Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for the Police and Fire and Rescue services.</p><p>The National Police Chief’s Council is undertaking a review of Police Air Support which is considering how drones should be used alongside manned aircraft.</p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 26/10/2018 13:24:04 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

989528

registered interest
date	17/10/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Mobile Phones
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make it a criminal offence to knowingly communicate with a person detained in the criminal justice system using an electronic communications system.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	180704
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2018 answer text <p>It is already an offence to have or use a mobile phone in prison without authorisation. We therefore have no plans to create a new offence of knowingly communicating with someone in the criminal justice system using devices such as mobile phones.</p><p> </p><p>We are taking urgent and decisive action to tackle the threat of illegal phones including detection dogs, body scanners and intelligence-led searches. We also continue to utilise Telecommunications Restriction Orders to block specific mobile phones being used in prisons.</p><p> </p><p>To reduce demand for illicit mobile phones, we are also expanding the roll out of in-cell telephones. These operate under strict controls with the aim of improving rehabilitation, cutting crime and protecting the public.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 26/10/2018 13:38:37 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

969039

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of school places in the London Borough of Barnet.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	171363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The Department collects information from each local authority on the number of school places as part of the annual school capacity survey. Data relating to the position in the 2017/18 academic year will be published in the new year.</p><p>Data for May 2017 (relating to academic year 2016/17) can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-capacity-academic-year-2016-to-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-capacity-academic-year-2016-to-2017</a>.</p><p>The data shows that on 1 May 2017 there were 31,518 primary school places and 29,759 secondary school places in Barnet.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 14/09/2018 11:36:34 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

969046

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Motorways: Speed Limits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the speed limit to 80 miles per hour on the motorway network.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	171370
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The Department has no plans to change the speed limit.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 14/09/2018 10:22:00 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

969048

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges
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 level of coverage of free to use automated transaction machines throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	171372
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government has been engaging and will continue to engage with the regulators and industry, including LINK, to ensure that it is maintained.</p><p>The Government established the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK’s payment systems work in the interests of their users. As part of this, the PSR is monitoring developments within ATM provision.</p><p>The PSR has undertaken work to understand the impact on the provision of free-to-use ATMs that a reduction in interchange fees may have and a summary of the findings can be found on their website. The Government has therefore not conducted its own assessment on the level of coverage of free-to-use ATMs across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR have also set out three requirements of LINK: that LINK must maintain the current geographical spread of ATMs; that any changes made to interchange fees must be incremental to allow LINK to monitor the impact and take action if the impact is not as expected; and for a greater focus on LINK’s financial inclusion programme, to continue to fill gaps in the network.</p><p>Indeed, to ensure the provision of ATMs in rural, isolated or vulnerable areas, LINK announced it will enhance its financial inclusion plan to include in the programme all ATMs that are a kilometre or further from the next other free-to-use ATM.</p><p>Additionally, LINK has recently decided to cancel its third interchange fee reduction, due in January 2020, and put on hold its fourth reduction, due in January 2021, pending a further review next year. The PSR has welcomed these adjustments to future interchange rates, having stated that LINK must carefully review its decisions on interchange fees to reflect changing market conditions.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR has committed to using its powers to act should LINK behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 13/09/2018 13:46:57 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

969049

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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	Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to replace the living wage and national minimum wage with one minimum wage.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	171373
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>Through the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the National Living Wage (NMW) the Government protects the lowest paid within our society.</p><p>The Government sets differentiated and age-related minimum wage rates to protect younger workers who are more vulnerable to being unemployed than older workers.</p><p>These are set based on the independent and expert advice of the Low Pay Commission.</p><p>Since the NLW was introduced in April 2016, a full-time worker on the NLW will earn over £2,000 more than someone working the same hours on the 2015 NMW. In April this year, those aged 18-20 and 21-24 experienced the greatest rise in the NMW in a decade.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 13/09/2018 15:27:06 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

968089

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Second Homes: Non-domestic Rates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to prevent owners of second homes registering their home as a holiday let in order to register for small business rate relief when the home is not available for let for the required number of days per year.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	170758
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>Owners of properties that are holiday lets are required to fill out forms of return (FORs) at each business rates revaluation to confirm that there is an intention to let their properties for 140 days each year. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) also issue FORs when they become aware of new holiday lets.</p><p> </p><p>Should local authorities or members of the public have reason to suspect a property is no longer satisfying the criteria for business rates assessment they should contact the VOA.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 14/09/2018 09:31:34 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

968096

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Employment: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister of Cabinet Office, how many disabled people entered the workforce in (a) 2010 and (b) 2018.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	170764
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p> answering member constituency Hertsmere answering member printed Oliver Dowden question first answered 13/09/2018 11:00:38 answering member 4441 label Biography information for Oliver Dowden attachment 1 file name PQ170764 - DrMatthewOffordMP.pdf title UKSA response
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord