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1091369

	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	legislature	25259
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and health evidence reviews have been prepared by scientific expert groups in the United Kingdom and around the world. The independent Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR) published their report in the UK in 2012 and the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) published their report in 2015. The World Health Organization is presently preparing a review. The AGNIR report is available at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/radiofrequency-electromagnetic-fields-health-effects" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/radiofrequency-electromagnetic-fields-health-effects</a></p><p> </p><p>The SCENIHR report is available at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/scientific_committees/docs/citizens_emf_en.pdf" target="_blank">https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/scientific_committees/docs/citizens_emf_en.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>Based on the accumulated evidence and reviews, Public Health England (PHE) advises that the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) should be adopted and there is no convincing evidence that EMF exposures below the ICNIRP guideline levels cause adverse health effects.</p><p> </p><p>PHE has committed to keeping the emerging evidence under review and to preparing another comprehensive review when sufficient new evidence has accumulated.</p> question first answered 27/03/2019 15:42:52
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1091002

	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	legislature	25259
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The responsibility for reviewing and updating the Advanced Knowledge Test (AKT) lies with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).</p><p> </p><p>General practice is where most patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis are likely to be managed, and the condition is identified as a key area of clinical knowledge in the RCGP AKT content guide. The AKT is a summative assessment of the knowledge base that underpins general practice in the United Kingdom within the context of the National Health Service and is a key part of general practitioners’ qualifying exams.</p> question first answered 26/03/2019 16:14:06
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1090992

	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	legislature	25259
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Government set out in the Resources and Waste Strategy, the actions we will take to encourage producers to take more responsibility for the lifespan of their products and make sure these are more carefully designed with resource efficiency, and waste prevention in mind. This includes wet wipes.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is working with the water industry and wet wipe manufacturers to prevent wet wipes entering our waterways and damaging our marine environment. I hosted a cross industry wet wipes roundtable in November 2016, to tackle the issue of wipes being incorrectly flushed and causing sewer blockages. Following the meeting, revised wet wipe industry guidance requires a ‘Do Not Flush’ label to be displayed far more prominently on non-flushable wipes.</p><p> </p><p>We support the water industry’s ongoing work on their voluntary ‘Fine to Flush’ label, to ensure that any wipes which are marked as being ‘flushable’, are plastic free and are truly flushable, meaning they can enter the sewage system without causing blockages or harming the environment. We are actively encouraging the water and wet wipe industries to work together to develop an agreed ‘flushability’ standard for those wipes that are intended for disposal via toilets.</p><p> </p> question first answered 25/03/2019 10:05:50
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1088704

	answering dept short name	Transport
	legislature	25259
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Government is concerned about drivers who use a hand-held mobile phone while driving. This is a reckless activity which increases the likelihood of a collision four-fold. The fine increased from £100 to £200, and the penalty points increased from three to six points for all drivers. These increases came into effect in March 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The Government also recognises the importance of educating drivers about the risks involved in using a hand-held mobile phone while driving.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to advice in the Highway Code and on www.gov.uk,The THINK! Campaigns are designed to educate drivers and promote road safety, which includes supporting a change in behaviour on using mobile phones when driving.</p><p> </p><p>Details of the THINK! campaigns can be found at <a href="http://think.direct.gov.uk/mobile-phones.html" target="_blank">http://think.direct.gov.uk/mobile-phones.html</a></p><p> </p><p>The Department’s policy on the use of mobile phones while driving will be kept under review and consideration will be given to the impact of the recent change in law and the THINK! campaigns in due course.</p> question first answered 20/03/2019 15:56:11
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1091030

	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	legislature	25259
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Through the Good Work Plan, published in December 2018, the Government has committed to upgrading workers’ rights and protecting the most vulnerable workers. This represents the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in over 20 years.</p><p> </p><p>Modelling platforms can already meet the definition of an employment agency as set out in the Employment Agencies Act 1973. If they meet the definition, they would already need to comply with the current legislation, which has specific regulations that cover modelling and entertainment agencies. The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate looks at all complaints on a case by case basis, and works with other partner organisations, such as Trading Standards, to ensure organisations comply with the relevant legislation.</p><p> </p> question first answered 26/03/2019 17:40:39
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1105309

	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	legislature	25259
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Companies who process personal data and use it to make marketing communications are regulated by the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). Both of these are administered and enforced by the Information Commissioner (ICO). If a company collects phone numbers from customers, it must be clear and transparent about how personal data will be handled, and ensure that the data is processed in a way which individuals would expect. Personal data must not be shared with third parties without an appropriate legal basis. Organisations that fail to comply may be subject to enforcement action by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO has the power to impose a monetary penalty on those who break the law.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has not made an official assessment of the effect on levels of nuisance calls of companies requiring consumers to provide their phone numbers when purchasing products or signing up for services.</p> question first answered 02/04/2019 14:31:51
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1090987

	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	legislature	25259
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Once someone has been awarded Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which can be paid at one of eight rates, that award will be reviewed. Reviews of PIP are a key part of the benefit to ensure that awards remain correct where needs may change (including where needs increase and the award may need to increase) and that we maintain contact with the claimant, both features that are missing from its predecessor Disability Living Allowance. The length of an award is based on an individual’s circumstances and can vary from nine months to an on-going award, with a light touch review after ten years.</p><p> </p><p>We introduced updated guidance for case managers and an updated PIP Assessment Guide in 2018 which will ensure that those people who receive the highest level of support under PIP, and where their needs are unlikely to change or may get worse, will now receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at the ten-year point. In line with PIP’s aim to be needs-based rather than condition-based, the change to the guidance is not condition specific. However, we believe the changes will ensure that those with severe and/or progressive conditions receive the most appropriate award duration that reflects their condition and the needs arising.</p><p> </p><p>Special considerations also apply to claimants who are terminally ill, and our arrangements recognise the particular difficulties faced by people who only have a short time to live. Claims by people with a terminal illness are fast tracked, are not subject to a face-to-face assessment and they are guaranteed the enhanced rate of the Daily Living Component; nearly all also receive the enhanced rate of mobility.</p> question first answered 25/03/2019 17:26:55
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1091032

	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	legislature	25259
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with social media companies on a range of issues. Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website.</p> question first answered 26/03/2019 10:48:53
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk