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1123665

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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	Birds: Pest Control
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will establish an independent inquiry on the reasons his Department and Natural England decided on the proposal to revoke General Licences 04/05/06.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	248559
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The decision to revoke the licences was made by Natural England (NE) as the licensing authority, not the government. We have not yet decided on a review of the recent situation.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 16/05/2019 12:44:51 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1123671

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Appeals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Social Security and Child Support Tribunal appeals have taken longer than 52 weeks for a determination, in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	248645
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is provided in the table below:</p><p>SOCIAL SECURITY &amp; CHILD SUPPORT CLEARANCES 1<br>Period Number of clearances that exceeded 52 weeks from receipt<br>1 April 2013 - 31 March 2014 16,161<br>1 April 2014 - 31 March 2015 12,350<br>1 April 2015 - 31 March 2016 3,100<br>1 April 2016 - 31 March 2017 4,084<br>1 April 2017 - 31 March 2018 7,330<br>1 April 2018 - 31 December 2018 2 13,162</p><p>1. Data include hearings cleared with and without a Tribunal hearing</p><p>2. The latest period for which data are available. Provisional data and subject to further change</p><p>Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale case management system and are the best data that are available.</p><p> </p><p><br>It is important that appeals are heard as quickly as possible. Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) recognises there are delays in the system and it is in the process of recruiting more judicial office holders in order to increase capacity and help to reduce waiting times for appellants. This includes 250 judges across the First-tier Tribunal, 125 disability qualified members and up to 230 medical members.</p><p>In addition, we have recently launched a new digital service with a view to enabling speedier processing of appeals. Information on the new digital service can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/submit-appeal</p><p>We are also working with the Department for Work and Pensions to understand what could be done to reduce the number of appeals being submitted to the Tribunal, through their focus on improving decision-making and the mandatory reconsideration process.</p><p>These measures will increase the capacity of the Tribunal. As a result, the number of appeals outstanding in the Tribunal is starting to fall as the number of cases heard by the Tribunal outweigh those sent to the Tribunal. If this continues, over time, we expect the time it takes for the Tribunal to hear, and the age of, appeals to reduce.</p><p>The time taken for the Tribunal to hear an appeal is mainly driven by the number of appeals sent to the Tribunal and the capacity of the Tribunal to deal with them. The number of appeals sent to the Tribunal is directly affected by changes in welfare policy.</p><p>The time it takes the Tribunal to hear an appeal is calculated from the time it is sent to the Tribunal to its final disposal. An appeal is not necessarily disposed of at its first hearing. The final disposal decision on the appeal may be reached after an earlier hearing has been adjourned (which may be directed by the judge for a variety of reasons, such as to seek further evidence), or after an earlier hearing date had been postponed (again, for a variety of reasons, often at the request of the appellant). An appeal may also have been decided at an earlier date by the First-tier Tribunal, only for the case to have gone on to the Upper Tribunal, to be returned once again to the First-tier for its final disposal.</p><p>HMCTS is very sensitive to the needs of people who may be affected by waiting times for Tribunal hearings. Tribunal staff and judicial office-holders, are trained accordingly, with HMCTS’s reasonable adjustments policy and practice applied where appropriate. Guidance on the policy is published on GOV.UK. If an expedited hearing is sought, or where the Tribunal identifies a case which might benefit from an expedited hearing, a judge or caseworker will make a decision on the issue, taking all the circumstances of the case into account.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 16/05/2019 16:26:11 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1124399

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	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	National Lottery Heritage Fund: Public Records
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 24 April (HL Deb, cols 600–602) on records held by the National Lottery Heritage Fund that the fund took legal advice and that even if it had retained the records, “it would not have been able to make them available”, what was the nature of the legal advice taken; and on what grounds it was argued that such records could not be made available.
	tabling member printed	Lord Aberdare
	uin	HL15448
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The National Lottery Heritage Fund (the Fund) took advice from its professional legal advisors as to the legal status of the Conservation Management Plans, which included advice on copyright and on the implications to the Fund if they were to make the CMPs available to third parties. The advice concluded that if the Fund disclosed the Conservation Management Plans it would risk being in breach of copyright</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 16/05/2019 14:40:15 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	3898 label Biography information for Lord Aberdare

1124400

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	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	National Lottery Heritage Fund: Public Records
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 24 April (HL Deb, cols 600–602), what specific steps the National Lottery Heritage Fund will take to “strengthen the emphasis on creating a legacy record for funded projects and on making this publicly accessible wherever possible”.
	tabling member printed	Lord Aberdare
	uin	HL15449
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The National Lottery Heritage Fund (the Fund) is in discussions with various representatives from the archives sector, including The National Archives and the Archives and Records Association. The aim of these discussions is to find ways to ensure that grant recipients make application material more widely accessible in future, partly by removing practical obstacles to doing so.</p><p> </p><p>The Fund is also expediting the compilation of a list of 1300 park and garden projects for which Conservation Management Plans may have been produced, which they will make available to interested parties upon request.</p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 16/05/2019 12:27:00 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	3898 label Biography information for Lord Aberdare

1124401

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	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	National Lottery Heritage Fund: Public Records
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 24 April (HL Deb, cols 600–602), whether records held by the National Lottery Heritage Fund were digitally recorded before the physical copies were de-stroyed; if so, what form this digitisation took; what facilities the digital version offers; who holds the digitised version; and what access there is for the public and other users.
	tabling member printed	Lord Aberdare
	uin	HL15450
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The National Lottery Heritage Fund (the Fund) digitally recorded documents critical to its grant contracts, and securely destroyed records no longer required for retention. The documents that were retained were scanned in PDF format. The retained records are held by the Fund, and are not accessible to the public because they contain confidential commercial information. Data regarding the Fund’s grant decisions has recently been released as part of its commitment to Open Data.</p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 16/05/2019 12:28:16 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	3898 label Biography information for Lord Aberdare

1124402

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish an up-to-date cost estimate and business case for HS2 Phase 1; and whether they will table a motion for approval of each in both Houses of Parliament before permanent works begin.
	tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
	uin	HL15451
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Full Business Case for Phase One will be published later in 2019 and will include an assessment of the latest estimates of cost, schedule and benefits. Publication of the Full Business Case will support authorisation of Notice to Proceed for Phase One which is when HS2 Ltd instructs its main works civil contractors to commence construction of the railway.</p><p> </p><p>The Government already has the statutory powers to build HS2 Phase One. Authorisation of Notice to Proceed is a commercial and administrative process conducted between the Government, HS2 Ltd and its main works civil contractors, and does not therefore require a motion of parliamentary approval.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 16/05/2019 14:14:42 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1124403

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish an up-to-date cost estimate and business case for HS2 Phase 2A at least two weeks before the High Speed Rail (West Midlands–Crewe) Bill has its second reading in the House of Lords.
	tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
	uin	HL15452
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Transport will periodically update the phase 2a cost estimate and business cases in line with the Government’s protocol for developing major projects. The HS2 Phase 2a Outline Business Case was published alongside the deposit of the Phase 2a hybrid Bill in July 2017. The Department intends to update the Phase 2a Business Case and cost estimate to inform the Full Business Case after the Phase 2a hybrid Bill achieves Royal Assent.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 16/05/2019 16:39:52 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1124405

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Commonwealth: Midwives and Nurses
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will be raising the proposal that 2020 be designated the Year of the Nurse and Midwife at the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting on 19 May.
	tabling member printed	Lord Crisp
	uin	HL15454
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The UK recognises the vital work conducted by nurses and midwives across the Commonwealth and supports the WHO Executive Board's proposal for 2020 to be recognised as the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife”. We look forward to discussing important topics such as this at the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting later this month.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/05/2019 14:12:46 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3783 label Biography information for Lord Crisp

1124409

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	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	Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cattle have been tested positive for bovine tuberculosis and then following slaughter have been negative on post-mortem testing; and what progress has been made in producing an accurate test before cattle are slaughtered.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Golding
	uin	HL15458
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The early detection and removal of tuberculosis (TB)-infected cattle before they develop advanced pathology and/or clinical signs of the disease (and thus become highly infectious) is a key element of bovine TB eradication programmes, including England’s 25 Year Bovine TB Strategy. To that effect, we use ante-mortem tests that measure the animals’ immune response to infection with the bovine TB bacterium (<em>Mycobacterium bovis – M. bovis</em>), rather than rely on direct detection methods.</p><p> </p><p>The single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) test, commonly known as the ‘skin test’, together with the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), is the legal standard approved in the EU legislation for the diagnosis of TB in live cattle in the UK. As with cases of TB in humans, only a proportion of those animals infected with <em>M. bovis</em> and reacting to a tuberculin skin test or IGRA display gross lesions of TB when subjected to post-mortem meat inspection in the slaughterhouse.</p><p> </p><p>In 2017 (the last year for which an analysis of post-mortem findings is available), approximately 60% of the 32,000 cattle compulsorily removed for bovine TB control reasons in England as skin test reactors or IGRA positives did not have visible lesions of TB on post-mortem and were also negative for <em>M. bovis</em> on bacteriological culture (where performed).</p><p> </p><p>Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are constantly striving for new ways to maximise the effectiveness of TB testing of cattle to achieve the objectives of the Strategy. APHA may exceptionally authorise the private use of non-validated diagnostic tests for bovine TB in herds where the disease is persistent, in order to help detect additional infected animals that may have been missed by the approved official tests (rather than to negate a positive result to such tests). A policy position paper on non-validated diagnostics for TB in cattle is now available on the APHA Vet Gateway (<a href="http://apha.defra.gov.uk/vet-gateway/index.htm" target="_blank">http://apha.defra.gov.uk/vet-gateway/index.htm</a>).</p><p> </p><p>Over £4 million was allocated to TB research and development in 2018/19, with the anticipation of a similar spend this financial year. The majority of these finds are being invested in improving diagnostic tests alongside vaccine development. However, validation for a new test to World Organisation for Animal Health standards would only lead to official adoption if it demonstrated proven advantages in the detection of disease alongside the current test portfolio.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/05/2019 16:25:10 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	281 label Biography information for Baroness Golding

1124410

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Israeli Settlements: Water Supply
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about the plans of Mekorot Water to build a water pipeline through the West Bank (Area C) province of Qalqilya and Salfit in order to supply nearby Israeli settlements.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL15459
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>​We have repeatedly made clear to the Israeli authorities our concerns about the damage to water sources and the destruction of Palestinian agricultural land that has been caused by settlement-related activity. We will continue to call on the Israeli authorities to cease such activity.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/05/2019 14:13:16 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1124411

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Israel: Palestinians
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about their current withholding of tax revenues which are due to be paid to the Palestinian Authority.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL15460
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>​We have regularly raised with the Government of Israel our concerns about Israel's decision to withhold tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority (PA). We expect economic and fiscal agreements between Israel and the PA to continue to be fully implemented, including Israel's obligations under the Oslo Accords and Paris Protocol.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/05/2019 14:13:43 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1124412

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Palestinians: Prisoners
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ending of a hunger-strike by Palestinian prisoners in Israel affiliated to Hamas, and of the provision of access by the government of Israel to public telephones in order for such prisoners to speak to their families; and whether they intend thank the government of Egypt for its assistance in this matter.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL15461
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>​While we have made no assessment on this specific issue, the British Government welcomes any steps towards the peaceful resolution of tensions and the end of hunger strikes; we welcome Egypt's role in this process. We regularly raise the situation of Palestinians in Israeli prisons with the Israeli authorities who have reiterated their commitment to treat prisoners and detainees humanely and in accordance with international law.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/05/2019 14:14:06 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1124413

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for International Trade
	answering dept id	202
	answering dept short name	International Trade
	answering dept sort name	International Trade
	hansard heading	Trade Fairs: Iraq
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK construction and professional firms they expect to attend the Erbil International Fair in northern Iraq in June.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL15462
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Construction fair taking place in Erbil in June (26 June – 29 June) is advertised as a ‘Made in Iraq’ fair, so consequently will attract primarily local dealers and contractors, and we are not aware of any UK firms planning to attend.</p><p> </p><p>The Erbil International Trade Fair (30 Sept - 03 Oct) is the biggest international multi-sector trade fair organised in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. UK companies that attend the Fair are likely to decide to participate closer to the time, though are more likely to participate as delegates or visitors rather than as exhibitors. In previous years, the local distributors of JLR and JCB have exhibited.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 16/05/2019 15:42:22 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1124417

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrants: Detainees
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 3 April (HL Deb, col 165), what is their definition of "indefinite" as applied to the term "indefinite detention".
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL15466
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>It is not possible to detain people for an indefinite – or unrestricted – period.</p><p><br>In order for detention to be lawful there must be a realistic prospect of the individual’s removal within a reasonable timescale.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 16/05/2019 07:37:16 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1124418

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Disability
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Tribunals Service intends to proceed with the introduction of Continuous Online Resolution for personal independence payments and employment and support allowance appeals; and in what circumstances a case would be considered unsuitable for consideration by such a process.
	tabling member printed	The Countess of Mar
	uin	HL15467
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The system to support Continuous Online Resolution (COR) is currently being tested with the Tribunal’s judiciary. As soon as testing has shown the system to be robust, a small number of people with a pending Personal Independence Payment appeal will be invited to take part in an initial pilot of COR. Current indications are this is likely to commence before the summer.</p><p> </p><p>The Tribunal’s judiciary intend, following successful testing, to be able to offer COR to all appellants. A case would be unsuitable if the parties did not wish to undergo that process or the panel thought it unsuitable.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 16/05/2019 15:00:40 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	1861 label Biography information for The Countess of Mar

1124423

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Youth Custody
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are being applied to young offender institutions and secure training centres to make them safe and secure for staff and offenders, and appropriate for the provision of care for detainees.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ouseley
	uin	HL15472
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Carrying on the youth justice reforms from 2017, we are providing funding for every Prison Officer in the Youth Custody Service to undertake a youth justice qualification and, on completion, transition into a new youth justice specialist role on promotion and at a higher pay-grade. Over 400 frontline staff are currently enrolled on this qualification.</p><p> </p><p>To better support young people in custody, we are rolling out the Custody Support Plan (CuSP) and implementing the use of Promoting Risk Intervention by Situational Management (PRISM). CuSP will provide each young person with a personal officer to work with in order to build trust and consistency. PRISM is an evidence-based process specifically designed and tested for use within custodial institutions. It provides a comprehensive framework for reviewing features of an environment that are known to contribute to the likelihood and emergence of violence.</p><p> </p><p>As well as this we are working closely with the NHS on ‘Secure Stairs’, which is a new integrated approach to strengthen the provision of health care to address the needs of young people holistically and co-ordinates services through a coherent, joined up approach. In addition, we are increasing psychology staff and support, and opening Enhanced Support Units for young people with the most complex needs.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 16/05/2019 16:15:18 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	2170 label Biography information for Lord Ouseley

1124425

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	A1
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any of the 11 planned road building schemes announced by Highways England in April as being paused indefinitely affect the A1; and if so, which parts.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Randerson
	uin	HL15474
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>In delivering the road investment strategy, Highways England routinely reviews its delivery plans to ensure that proposed road schemes will deliver value for money and minimise disruption for motorists. Highways England publishes its annual Delivery Plan each year to provide details of its planned work programme for the next 12 months and beyond. The next regular update of this is scheduled to be published this summer.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 16/05/2019 07:38:17 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson

1124426

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Lewes-Uckfield Railway Line
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reconsider their decision to not reopen the Uckfield to Lewes railway line.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Randerson
	uin	HL15475
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government has no current plans to reinstate the line between Lewes and Uckfield, but are committed to improving services on both the Uckfield line and the wider Brighton Main Line.</p><p> </p><p>You may also be aware that £19.2m has been spent on the Uckfield line to enable longer ten car trains to operate, providing much needed extra seating and space for passengers.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 16/05/2019 07:38:46 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson

1124427

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Southern: Standards
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government why there are continuing weekend closures of the railway lines between Lewes, Seaford, Newhaven, Eastbourne, Hastings and London; and by which date such closures are expected to cease.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Randerson
	uin	HL15476
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>I recognise these closures are inconvenient to passengers but they are nonetheless vital so that Network Rail can upgrade the railway and provide better reliability and improved passenger journeys for years to come.</p><p> </p><p>A further closure is required so that signaling work can take place later this year and once a date is agreed, it will be published so that passengers will be made aware.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 16/05/2019 16:33:52 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson

1124428

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Railways: Compensation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the variation between train operating companies in the percentage of compensation claims from passengers which are rejected; amd what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure a more consistent approach to such compensation claims.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Randerson
	uin	HL15477
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department has not collected or made assessments as to the reasons for passenger claims being rejected. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as the industry regulator, is responsible for approving and monitoring train operator’s complaint handling procedures under which compensation claims are managed and deciding whether action is necessary.</p><p> </p><p>We are mandating increased use of technology through the introduction of simple and speedy ‘one-click’ automated claims systems, available via smartphones and smartcard registration. This forms part of obligations for future train operators under new franchises.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 16/05/2019 11:34:45 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson

1124435

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Bahrain
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports that a delegation headed by the director of Bahrain’s Jau Prison, Brigadier General Abdul Salam al-Araifi, visited correctional facilities in the UK before Easter, by whom the visit was funded; and if it was funded by the Government, from which funding stream this came.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL15484
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>In April 2019, a delegation of officials from Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior visited HMP Berwyn and HMP Whitemoor. This delegation included Brigadier Abdulsalam al-Arifi, the Director General of Reformation and Rehabilitation in Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior. HMP Berwyn and Whitemoor provided complimentary refreshments for the delegation during their visits, at a cost of approximately £69.00 total. All other costs associated with the visit were borne by the delegation.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 16/05/2019 16:39:30 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1124439

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Motorways
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of smart motorways; and how many penalty notices have been issued for non-compliance with smart motorway restrictions on each motorway.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill
	uin	HL15488
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Smart motorways are an important part of the modernisation of England’s motorways. The Government’s policy is to implement smart motorways on the busiest sections of motorway, as they provide a way to increase capacity and improve performance without the need to widen the road.</p><p> </p><p>Smart motorways have reduced congestion and improved journey time reliability, by making the hard shoulder available as a traffic lane and using variable speed limits to smooth traffic flow. Each scheme has to meet a strict safety objective, which is to be at least as safe as a traditional motorway.</p><p> </p><p>An assessment of the first two smart motorway ‘all lane running’ schemes, on the M25, shows that they are delivering the intended benefits. This assessment is detailed in the ‘M25 J5-7 Monitoring Third Year Report’ and the ‘M25 J23-27 Monitoring Third Year Report’, both published on 16 July 2018 by Highways England.</p><p><em><em> </em></em></p><p>The issuing of penalty notices is a matter for the police force in each area, since Highways England is not an enforcement body.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 16/05/2019 11:36:22 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	3125 label Biography information for Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill

1124440

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Channel Ferries: Contracts
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of the recent decision to cancel the remaining contracts with no-deal Brexit ferry operators on supply chains in the freight sector.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL15489
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government does not expect there to be a significant impact on supply chains in the freight sector. Shippers will continue to have access to ferry and Channel Tunnel freight services provided on a commercial basis, as usual.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 16/05/2019 11:37:00 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1124623

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Motorways: Cameras
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of time that has been spent on giving type approval for the cameras needed to enforce regulations on smart motorways.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradshaw
	uin	HL15491
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>It is important that systems which are approved by the Home Office can be relied upon in court. They are therefore subjected to a stringent and robust process.</p><p>The length of time that takes depends on many variables, not all of which are under the control of the Home Office, for example meeting the technical requirements, meeting deadlines for submission of devices and documentation and then performing satisfactorily during the testing stages.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 16/05/2019 11:37:40 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	2483 label Biography information for Lord Bradshaw

1124627

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Religion
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 4 April (HL14728), what were the findings of their investigation into reports which indicated that some asylum decisions were not drafted in accordance with Home Office policy guidance on how asylum decision-makers are expected to approach religious-based claims.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
	uin	HL15495
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>After reports indicated that an asylum decision was not drafted in accordance with Home Office policy guidance, Asylum Operations conducted an investigation into this matter. A small number of religious conversion cases were sampled and no further cases were identified during this sampling exercise.</p><p><br>All such decisions are currently subject to further scrutiny, pending the roll out of additional specialist training, which has been developed in collaboration with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion or Belief.</p><p><br>The Asylum Learning and Development Team started to deliver the specialist training package on religious claims on Monday 8 April, which will be mandatory for all asylum decision-makers.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 16/05/2019 11:38:49 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox

1124633

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	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	Eggs
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of eggs produced in the UK for enriched colony systems in 2019.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
	uin	HL15501
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>UK Packing Station egg throughput figures are collated quarterly and cover the vast majority of total eggs produced. Eggs produced from hens in enriched colony systems accounted for 42% of the total throughput in the first quarter of 2019 in the UK. This equates to 1.2 billion eggs.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/05/2019 16:44:27 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1124645

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisations they have commissioned to provide support to applicants to the EU Settlement Scheme.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws
	uin	HL15513
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Details of the 57 organisations awarded EU Settlement grant scheme funding will be announced mid-May once the commercial activity has been concluded.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 16/05/2019 11:39:05 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	1987 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws

1124653

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Forced Marriage: Children and Young People
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times in 2018 the Forced Marriage Unit provided advice or support on  forced marriage to (1) a person aged 15 or under, and (2) a person aged 16 or 17.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL15521
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The UK is a world-leader in the fight to stamp out the brutal practice of forced marriage, with our joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) which leads efforts to combat it both at home and abroad. We made forced marriage a criminal offence in 2014 to better protect victims and send a clear message that this abhorrent practice is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the UK.</p><p>The joint Foreign &amp; Commonwealth Office and Home Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) operates a public helpline to provide advice and support to victims, those at risk, and professionals. Statistics on the number of cases dealt with by the FMU, including a breakdown by region and age, are published annually and available online at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/forced-marriage#statistics-on-forced-marriage" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/forced-marriage#statistics-on-forced-marriage</a></p><p>Figures for 2018 will be published soon.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 16/05/2019 11:40:12 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1124654

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	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	Peat
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce regular reporting on the proportion of peat being sold in compost and used as a growing medium in horticulture.
	tabling member printed	Lord Teverson
	uin	HL15522
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We are working with the industry to put in place a replacement for our previous monitoring of peat use in growing media, which last reported in 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The 2016 report showed that peat use in 1) the amateur sector (2020 target) was down 21% in 2015 compared to 2011, and 2) the professional grower sector (2030 target) was down 26% since 2011. Nevertheless, whilst progress had been made in reducing peat use, it appears to be stalling.</p><p> </p><p>We stated in the 25 Year Plan for the Environment that if by 2020 we have not seen sufficient movement to peat alternatives, we will look at introducing further measures. We have been discussing how we should judge what constitutes “sufficient movement” away from peat use and what potential further measures could look like. These discussions are ongoing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL15523 HL15524 question first answered 16/05/2019 16:34:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3789 label Biography information for Lord Teverson

1124655

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	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	Peat
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of progress towards their voluntary targets for the phasing out of the use of peat from compost and horticulture for (1) 2020, and (2) 2030.
	tabling member printed	Lord Teverson
	uin	HL15523
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We are working with the industry to put in place a replacement for our previous monitoring of peat use in growing media, which last reported in 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The 2016 report showed that peat use in 1) the amateur sector (2020 target) was down 21% in 2015 compared to 2011, and 2) the professional grower sector (2030 target) was down 26% since 2011. Nevertheless, whilst progress had been made in reducing peat use, it appears to be stalling.</p><p> </p><p>We stated in the 25 Year Plan for the Environment that if by 2020 we have not seen sufficient movement to peat alternatives, we will look at introducing further measures. We have been discussing how we should judge what constitutes “sufficient movement” away from peat use and what potential further measures could look like. These discussions are ongoing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL15522 HL15524 question first answered 16/05/2019 16:34:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3789 label Biography information for Lord Teverson

1124656

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	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	Peat
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce mandatory targets for the phasing out of the use of peat for compost and horticulture; and whether any such targets will be earlier than the current voluntary targets.
	tabling member printed	Lord Teverson
	uin	HL15524
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We are working with the industry to put in place a replacement for our previous monitoring of peat use in growing media, which last reported in 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The 2016 report showed that peat use in 1) the amateur sector (2020 target) was down 21% in 2015 compared to 2011, and 2) the professional grower sector (2030 target) was down 26% since 2011. Nevertheless, whilst progress had been made in reducing peat use, it appears to be stalling.</p><p> </p><p>We stated in the 25 Year Plan for the Environment that if by 2020 we have not seen sufficient movement to peat alternatives, we will look at introducing further measures. We have been discussing how we should judge what constitutes “sufficient movement” away from peat use and what potential further measures could look like. These discussions are ongoing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL15522 HL15523 question first answered 16/05/2019 16:34:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3789 label Biography information for Lord Teverson

1124851

	registered interest
	date	07/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Sri Lanka: Minority Groups
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to assist Pakistani Ahmadi and Christian refugees, fleeing persecution in Pakistan and awaiting determination of their asylum cases in Sri Lanka, who are seeking refuge in police stations and elsewhere due to fear of targeted attacks on minorities.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL15526
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The British Government has agreed with Sri Lankan counterparts the need for inclusivity and respect for human rights in their response to the Easter Sunday attacks and underlined the importance of Sri Lankans working together to reduce intercommunal tensions. Minister for Security and Economic Crime Ben Wallace visited Sri Lanka on 2-3 May and reiterated these points.</p><p>We have raised concerns with the Sri Lankan Government at reports of incidents of violence and intimidation against Muslims, refugees and asylum seekers since the Easter Sunday attacks. We have also raised concerns specifically about the situation in Negombo, where approximately 1,050 refugees were displaced from their ordinary places of residence and are now being temporarily housed.</p><p>The British High Commission in Colombo is in regular contact with the Sri Lankan Government, UN agencies and civil society organisations who are working towards a sustainable solution, including to identify secure relocation options to ensure protection of both refugees and asylum seekers.</p><p>The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific and I have both met the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in recent weeks to raise concerns about refugees and minority rights in Sri Lanka. The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific also addressed this issue in the House of Commons on 9 May.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/05/2019 14:37:24 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1124853

	registered interest
	date	07/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Sri Lanka: Minority Groups
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of school textbooks in promoting a negative view of religious and ethnic minorities in Sri Lanka; what discussions they have had with the government of Sri Lanka and UN agencies about this; and what were the outcomes of any such discussions.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL15528
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>​The UK has not made such an assessment. The UK regularly discuses human rights, reconciliation and the importance of social inclusion with the government of Sri Lanka, including through encouraging the implementation of UNHRC resolution 30/1. The UK has supported civil society organisations that have engaged children and youth across the country through social media, youth exchange programmes and the arts in breaking racial stereotypes and creating better ethnic and religious understanding and relations between communities. The British Council has initiated research on school culture in Sri Lanka that will look at issues including equality, rights, attitudes and community engagement to foster social inclusion. Through its Active Citizens programme the British Council brings together youth from different communities to work together on projects that address issues at the community level.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/05/2019 14:38:59 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1124855

	registered interest
	date	07/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Asia Bibi
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 May (HL15272), what was the most recent response they received from the government of Pakistan about the right of Asia Bibi to join her family in Canada; and when they anticipate that this will take place.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL15530
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The British Government welcomes reports that Asia Bibi has been able to travel freely out of Pakistan and is now able to make decisions about her future.</p><p>We also welcome the Pakistan Government’s commitment to the rule of law, following the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision in January to uphold her acquittal of blasphemy charges.</p><p>Our primary concern has always been Asia Bibi’s safety and security. Since Asia Bibi’s sentencing in 2010, we have been in close and extensive contact with a range of international partners to support a positive outcome for her.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/05/2019 14:40:59 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1124951

	registered interest
	date	07/05/2019
	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	Furosemide
	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 assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning the medication Furosemide from being used by trainers in equestrian training sessions.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	251224
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Furosemide is an active ingredient authorised for use in veterinary medicines for dogs, cats and horses. Products containing furosemide are diuretic and are used to treat a build-up of fluid within the body, for example as a result of congestive heart failure. Medicines containing furosemide must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon before they can be administered to an animal.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does not seek to interfere with the clinical judgement of a veterinary surgeon in determining the best available treatment to an animal under his or her care.</p><p> </p><p>There are no regulatory concerns that would necessitate a ban on the use of furosemide on the grounds of safety, quality or efficacy. Any ban on the use of a product in an equestrian sporting discipline is the responsibility of the relevant sport’s governing body.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 16/05/2019 10:52:08 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1125231

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	HIV Infection: Drugs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase the availability of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in (a) Bristol and (b) England.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	251999
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>In February 2019, additional HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Impact trial allocation places were released to those sexual health clinics in Bristol, the Bristol Royal Infirmary and the Concord Clinic participating in the PrEP trial.</p><p>These additional places in Bristol are part of the overall expansion of 13,000 additional PrEP trial places across England, increasing the total number of places to 26,000 for participating clinics. The trial website can be viewed at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.prepimpacttrial.org.uk/join-the-trial" target="_blank">https://www.prepimpacttrial.org.uk/join-the-trial</a></p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy question first answered 16/05/2019 11:44:51 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1125238

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	İyad el-Baghdadi
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to cooperate with the Governments of (a) Norway and (b) five eyes partner countries to offer protection to Iyad el-Baghdadi from reported threats linked to the Saudi Arabian Government.
	tabling member constituency	West Ham
	tabling member printed	Lyn Brown
	uin	251935
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on the security arrangements for individuals or certain groups. To do so could compromise the integrity of those arrangements and affect the security of the individuals concerned.</p> answering member constituency Wyre and Preston North answering member printed Mr Ben Wallace question first answered 16/05/2019 10:52:31 answering member 1539 label Biography information for Mr Ben Wallace
	tabling member	1583 label Biography information for Ms Lyn Brown

1125242

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Sanitary Products: VAT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has made to the Romanian Presidency on progressing its negotiations on abolishing VAT on sanitary products.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
	tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
	uin	252004
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>To date, the Romanian Presidency has held one official level discussion on the European Commission’s legislative proposal on VAT Rates. As drafted, this proposal would give the UK the flexibility to apply a zero rate of VAT to women’s sanitary products.</p><p> </p><p>During this discussion, the UK delegation made clear that the Government strongly supports the flexibility that the draft legislation would offer. Member States and the Commission are well aware of the Government’s firm commitment to zero rate women’s sanitary products as soon as it is legal to do so.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 16/05/2019 15:07:29 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
	tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss

1125247

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Deportation: Sri Lanka
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been deported to Sri Lanka from the UK in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, (d) 2018 and (e) to date in 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Leicester East
	tabling member printed	Keith Vaz
	uin	251906
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The number of enforced returns from the UK by year and country of nationality is published in table rt_02 (returns data tables, volume 1) in ‘Immigration Statistics, year ending December 2018’, available from the GOV.uk website at: <br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/781113/returns1-dec-2018-tables.ods" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/781113/returns1-dec-2018-tables.ods</a></p><p>The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns which are enforced either following a criminal conviction or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. Information on those deported is not separately available and therefore the published statistics refer to all enforced returns.</p><p>Information for January to March 2019 will be published on 24th May 2019.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 16/05/2019 15:08:41 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	338 label Biography information for Keith Vaz

1125249

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Applications
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason the decision was made to abandon the six-month target for processing straightforward asylum claims.
	tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
	tabling member printed	Catherine West
	uin	252009
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>In line with our ambition to promote a greater understanding and transparency of the asylum system and to develop service standards that are meaningful and command confidence, plans are underway for UKVI to implement new service standards for asylum case working. This change means UKVI will be moving away from the six-month service standard for straightforward cases which was introduced in 2014.</p><p>It had become clear that the current service standard no longer best served those that used our services and a number of stakeholders had been concerned that not all cases were captured by it.</p><p>For these reasons, it has been agreed to change how Asylum Operations prioritise their workload. This means, in the short term, Asylum Operations will reprioritise cases by focusing on claims with acute vulnerability and those in receipt of the greatest level of support, including Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC). Additionally, cases where an individual has already received a decision, but a reconsideration is required, will also be prioritised. The implications of the change on applicants have been considered and appropriate mitigations put in place, with the most vulnerable groups being prioritised as appropriate.</p><p>The intention is for this approach to bring balance back to the asylum system while steps are taken to increase the capacity of the asylum decision making system and focus on process improvements to deliver better quality decisions more efficiently.</p><p>To come to a longer-term arrangement for service standards that meet the needs of those seeking asylum and the country, UKVI have engaged with key partners in the Strategic Engagement Group (SEG) and other NGOs to redesign the way in which claims are prioritised. This engagement started on 4 December 2018 and over 100 organisations were invited to service standards workshops, which included members of SEG and National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) sub groups. 41 organisations out of the 100 attended workshops nationally.</p><p>We aim to ensure that we design our new service standards to deliver a world leading immigration service for those seeking asylum in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 252010 question first answered 16/05/2019 14:50:13 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1125250

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Mental Health
	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 has made of the effect on the mental health of asylum seekers of the decision to abolish the six-month target for processing straightforward asylum claims.
	tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
	tabling member printed	Catherine West
	uin	252010
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>In line with our ambition to promote a greater understanding and transparency of the asylum system and to develop service standards that are meaningful and command confidence, plans are underway for UKVI to implement new service standards for asylum case working. This change means UKVI will be moving away from the six-month service standard for straightforward cases which was introduced in 2014.</p><p>It had become clear that the current service standard no longer best served those that used our services and a number of stakeholders had been concerned that not all cases were captured by it.</p><p>For these reasons, it has been agreed to change how Asylum Operations prioritise their workload. This means, in the short term, Asylum Operations will reprioritise cases by focusing on claims with acute vulnerability and those in receipt of the greatest level of support, including Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC). Additionally, cases where an individual has already received a decision, but a reconsideration is required, will also be prioritised. The implications of the change on applicants have been considered and appropriate mitigations put in place, with the most vulnerable groups being prioritised as appropriate.</p><p>The intention is for this approach to bring balance back to the asylum system while steps are taken to increase the capacity of the asylum decision making system and focus on process improvements to deliver better quality decisions more efficiently.</p><p>To come to a longer-term arrangement for service standards that meet the needs of those seeking asylum and the country, UKVI have engaged with key partners in the Strategic Engagement Group (SEG) and other NGOs to redesign the way in which claims are prioritised. This engagement started on 4 December 2018 and over 100 organisations were invited to service standards workshops, which included members of SEG and National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) sub groups. 41 organisations out of the 100 attended workshops nationally.</p><p>We aim to ensure that we design our new service standards to deliver a world leading immigration service for those seeking asylum in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 252009 question first answered 16/05/2019 14:50:13 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1125254

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	Social Services: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of years a person would need to spend in a residential care home before benefitting from an (a) £72,000 cap and (b) £100,000 cap on the cost of care; if he will make it his policy to introduce free personal care in England; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	251936
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The social care Green Paper will bring forward ideas for including an element of risk pooling in the system, which will help to protect people from the highest costs. To allow for fuller engagement and development of the approach, with reforms to the care system and the way it is paid for considered in the round, we will not be taking forward the previous Government’s plans to implement a cap on care costs in 2020. Further details on the Government’s plans will be set out after we have consulted on the different options.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 16/05/2019 13:27:28 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1125270

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Beer: Excise Duties
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect on (a) total revenue and (b) levels of beer consumption of the decision to freeze beer duty last year.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	251907
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>HMRC publishes a tax information and impact note (TIIN) on gov.uk explaining the impact of the policy change, each time alcohol duty rates are amended. The most recent TIIN published at Autumn Budget 2018 can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/increase-in-alcohol-duty-rates/alcohol-duty-uprating" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/increase-in-alcohol-duty-rates/alcohol-duty-uprating</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Statistics on alcohol sales and receipts are available from the UKTradeInfo website: <a href="https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx" target="_blank">https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx</a></p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 16/05/2019 12:33:15 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1125274

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	Air Pollution
	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 steps his Department takes to protect vulnerable people, including older people, children and people with health conditions from pollution episodes.
	tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
	tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
	uin	251940
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>During episodes of elevated air pollution, Defra works closely with Public Health England and a network of health charities to ensure that key health messages are communicated to those who are vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, in addition to communicating through our normal digital channels.</p><p> </p><p>Defra’s Daily Air Quality Index (<a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/air-pollution/daqi" target="_blank">https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/air-pollution/daqi</a>) assists in understanding air pollution levels and suggests recommended actions and health advice. Such advice applies to anyone experiencing symptoms.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 16/05/2019 11:23:40 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

1125278

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	Broadband: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has plans to enable BT to charge more for Openreach network broadband connections in rural areas than in urban areas in order to subsidise the cost of high-speed fibre broadband.
	tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
	uin	251942
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We have no plans to introduce legislation which would allow BT/Openreach to charge rural consumers more than urban consumers to subsidise their full fibre broadband connections.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is already supporting rural broadband connectivity in a number of ways. Our £1.8 billion superfast broadband programme has achieved its target of 95% superfast coverage across the UK. In our Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR), we set a target to go further and ensure that 15 million premises can connect to gigabit capable, full fibre broadband by 2025 with nationwide coverage by 2033. We are already investing to make that happen, stimulating the market through the £278 million Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme and the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. The FTIR was clear that the Government would also support full fibre broadband in less commercial areas of the country, likely to be around 10% of UK premises, so that no areas are systematically left behind. To start this, the 2018 Budget announced £200 million for the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers meet regularly with Ofcom to discuss a range of issues. Ofcom is currently consulting on its initial proposals for promoting competition and investment in fibre networks across the country including in less commercial, rural areas of the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Stourbridge answering member printed Margot James grouped question UIN 251943 251944 question first answered 16/05/2019 09:31:47 answering member 4115 label Biography information for Margot James
	tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

1125279

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	Broadband: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has plans to enable BT to levy upfront charges on consumers accessing Openreach network broadband connections in order to subsidise the cost of high-speed fibre broadband.
	tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
	uin	251943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We have no plans to introduce legislation which would allow BT/Openreach to charge rural consumers more than urban consumers to subsidise their full fibre broadband connections.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is already supporting rural broadband connectivity in a number of ways. Our £1.8 billion superfast broadband programme has achieved its target of 95% superfast coverage across the UK. In our Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR), we set a target to go further and ensure that 15 million premises can connect to gigabit capable, full fibre broadband by 2025 with nationwide coverage by 2033. We are already investing to make that happen, stimulating the market through the £278 million Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme and the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. The FTIR was clear that the Government would also support full fibre broadband in less commercial areas of the country, likely to be around 10% of UK premises, so that no areas are systematically left behind. To start this, the 2018 Budget announced £200 million for the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers meet regularly with Ofcom to discuss a range of issues. Ofcom is currently consulting on its initial proposals for promoting competition and investment in fibre networks across the country including in less commercial, rural areas of the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Stourbridge answering member printed Margot James grouped question UIN 251942 251944 question first answered 16/05/2019 09:31:47 answering member 4115 label Biography information for Margot James
	tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

1125280

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	Broadband: Rural Areas
	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 representations he has received from representatives of Ofcom on the funding of high-speed fibre broadband infrastructure in rural areas.
	tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
	uin	251944
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We have no plans to introduce legislation which would allow BT/Openreach to charge rural consumers more than urban consumers to subsidise their full fibre broadband connections.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is already supporting rural broadband connectivity in a number of ways. Our £1.8 billion superfast broadband programme has achieved its target of 95% superfast coverage across the UK. In our Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR), we set a target to go further and ensure that 15 million premises can connect to gigabit capable, full fibre broadband by 2025 with nationwide coverage by 2033. We are already investing to make that happen, stimulating the market through the £278 million Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme and the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. The FTIR was clear that the Government would also support full fibre broadband in less commercial areas of the country, likely to be around 10% of UK premises, so that no areas are systematically left behind. To start this, the 2018 Budget announced £200 million for the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers meet regularly with Ofcom to discuss a range of issues. Ofcom is currently consulting on its initial proposals for promoting competition and investment in fibre networks across the country including in less commercial, rural areas of the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Stourbridge answering member printed Margot James grouped question UIN 251942 251943 question first answered 16/05/2019 09:31:47 answering member 4115 label Biography information for Margot James
	tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

1125282

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Railways: North Cornwall
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has plans to reopen train lines in North Cornwall.
	tabling member constituency	North Cornwall
	tabling member printed	Scott Mann
	uin	252026
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department looks to local authorities to identify local transport needs. In November 2017, the Secretary of State said in A Strategic Vision for Rail that the challenge to our partners was to work with Government and the industry to develop compelling proposals for the next generation of rail schemes, identifying the places where rail is the right answer for local transport needs. All schemes would need to demonstrate a strong business case where they are seeking any available Government funding.</p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 16/05/2019 12:14:50 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
	tabling member	4496 label Biography information for Scott Mann

1125283

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Vocational Training: North Cornwall
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to allocate additional funding to vocational training in order to improve social mobility in North Cornwall.
	tabling member constituency	North Cornwall
	tabling member printed	Scott Mann
	uin	252027
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The further education sector plays a key role in ensuring quality vocational training opportunities and improving social mobility across England, including in North Cornwall. We have protected the base rate of funding for 16 to 19 year olds until the end of the current spending review period in 2020. Additional funding is provided through the 16 to 19 funding formula, including over £500 million across England in 2018-19 to support disadvantaged students and therefore improving social mobility. Overall, the government plans to invest nearly £7 billion nationally during 2018-19 to ensure that there is a place in education or training for every 16 to 19 year old.</p><p> </p><p>Through the Adult Education Budget, we are continuing to invest in further education for adults aged 19 and above, including those who are furthest from the labour market, to support their progression to further study, employment or an apprenticeship. We are also supporting adults who have been motivated to move out of unemployment and are in low-paid or low-skilled jobs to upskill at no charge and to progress further.</p><p> </p><p>We are creating 3 million high quality apprenticeships that will change the lives of apprentices and the prospects of businesses. Apprenticeships disproportionately benefit people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Delivering more and better quality apprenticeships will ensure that more people from these backgrounds are enabled to gain the skills and training they need to build successful careers.</p><p> </p><p>The European Social Fund (ESF) has been an important source of skills and employment funding used to support those furthest from learning and the labour market. Following Brexit, whilst we will no longer have access to the ESF, the government has committed to create a UK Shared Prosperity Fund to reduce inequalities between communities and help deliver sustainable, inclusive growth.</p><p> </p><p>The department works closely with HM Treasury (HMT) in considering further education funding. We are considering the efficiency and resilience of the sector and assessing how far current funding and regulatory structures enable high quality provision, including vocational training. We continue to look carefully at these issues with HMT in preparation for the Spending Review.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 16/05/2019 12:28:04 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
	tabling member	4496 label Biography information for Scott Mann

1125289

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	Sleeping Rough: Veterans
	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 implement a data collection exercise system of similar quality to the Greater London Authority’s Combined Homelessness and Information Network throughout England to allow accurate data capture on the number of rough sleeping veterans; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	251879
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Our veterans play a vital role in keeping our country safe and we are committed to ensuring that they are provided with all the support they need to successfully adjust back into civilian life.</p><p>In March we allocated an additional £1 million of bespoke funding to support ex-members of the armed forces who are or are at risk of becoming homeless. The funding has been allocated between the Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority, and will be used to develop new services and support them in engaging with existing service provision.</p><p>As recommended by the UKSA, we have included CHAIN (Combined Homelessness and Information Network) statistics within the Rough Sleeping Statistics release. Overall, 7 per cent of people seen sleeping rough by outreach workers across London during 2017/18 had served in the armed forces at some point in their lives. 3 per cent of these were UK nationals - around 135 people. Although CHAIN offers more information on the flows and characteristics of people rough sleeping, data quality is influenced by the number of outreach workers active on any one night. Therefore a local authority which does not have a commissioned outreach team may appear to have fewer rough sleepers than an adjacent borough which does have an active outreach service.</p><p>MHCLG is actively encouraging local authorities with significant numbers of rough sleepers to improve their year-round data. We are working collaboratively with local authorities to develop improved homelessness data and outcomes that can measure progress in reducing rough sleeping and homelessness.</p><p>In April 2018, we introduced a new data capture tool called H-CLIC. H-CLIC captures information on all those who engage with local authority homelessness services and will collect information on the support needs of a household, including support need resulting from being in the armed forces.</p><p>We are also establishing local data pilots which will seek to improve the evidence on rough sleeping in some areas. These data pilots will help to provide a richer picture on the characteristics of rough sleepers in some areas.</p><p>The Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why last summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy. This sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all.</p><p>We have committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period. In its first year, our Rough Sleeping Initiative provided over 1,750 new bed spaces and 500 staff. This year we have expanded the RSI with investment of £46 million for 246 areas – providing funding for an estimated 2,600 bed spaces and 750 staff.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 16/05/2019 09:20:32 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas