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760640

	registered interest
	date	14/09/2017
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Social Rented Housing: Rents
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether social rents will revert to the previously agreed settlement of Consumer Price Index plus one per cent from 1 April 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	105097
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2017 answer text <p>The Government has announced plans to set a long term rent deal for councils and housing associations. Under the proposal announced on 4 October, increases to social housing rents will be limited to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1 per cent for 5 years from 2020. This announcement recognises the need for a stable financial environment to support the delivery of new homes.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 13/10/2017 16:26:46 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

769066

	registered interest
	date	11/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
	answering dept id	203
	answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
	answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
	hansard heading	Brexit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, when he plans to publish the impact assessments of the UK leaving the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	107120
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2017 answer text <p>The Department for Exiting the European Union, working with officials across Government, are in the process of carrying out a programme of rigorous and extensive analytical work that will contribute to our exit negotiations with the EU, to define our future partnership with the EU, and to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks.</p><p>The Department will continue to balance our commitment to transparency with the need to protect information which could undermine the UK’s ability to negotiate the best deal for the UK. Parliament has voted and agrees with this, as referenced in the vote of 7 December 2016.</p><p>https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2016-12-07/debates/CA09D9B2-9634-41C8-8979-8B9CD82DBB8F/TheGovernmentSPlanForBrexit</p><p><strong></strong><br><br></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 24/10/2017 13:28:55 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

776916

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Great Western Main Line: Electrification
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the completion of the electrification of the rail line between Chippenham and Bristol Temple Meads.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	109269
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2017 answer text <p>Network Rail is delivering the Great Western Electrification Programme to the dates set out in the latest publication of their Enhancement Delivery plan. This includes completing electrification of the Great Western Mainline by the end of CP5.</p><p> </p><p>The National Audit Office’s report states that electrification is now expected to cost £2.8 billion.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not hold cost details for electrification between these specific stations. This information is held by Network Rail.</p><p> </p><p>Environmental consideration of air pollution is taken into account as part of the business case for electrification of the Great Western Route.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 109270 109271 question first answered 01/11/2017 10:37:25 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

776918

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Great Western Main Line: Electrification
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will undertake an assessment of the potential effect on levels of air pollution in Bath of the (a) completion and (b) non-completion of rail electrification between Chippenham and Bristol Temple Meads.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	109270
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2017 answer text <p>Network Rail is delivering the Great Western Electrification Programme to the dates set out in the latest publication of their Enhancement Delivery plan. This includes completing electrification of the Great Western Mainline by the end of CP5.</p><p> </p><p>The National Audit Office’s report states that electrification is now expected to cost £2.8 billion.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not hold cost details for electrification between these specific stations. This information is held by Network Rail.</p><p> </p><p>Environmental consideration of air pollution is taken into account as part of the business case for electrification of the Great Western Route.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 109269 109271 question first answered 01/11/2017 10:37:25 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

776917

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Great Western Main Line: Electrification
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the completion of electrification of the rail line between Chippenham and Bristol Temple Meads.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	109271
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2017 answer text <p>Network Rail is delivering the Great Western Electrification Programme to the dates set out in the latest publication of their Enhancement Delivery plan. This includes completing electrification of the Great Western Mainline by the end of CP5.</p><p> </p><p>The National Audit Office’s report states that electrification is now expected to cost £2.8 billion.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not hold cost details for electrification between these specific stations. This information is held by Network Rail.</p><p> </p><p>Environmental consideration of air pollution is taken into account as part of the business case for electrification of the Great Western Route.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 109269 109270 question first answered 01/11/2017 10:37:25 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

777034

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Railways: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's press release of 12 October 2017, when his Department plans to announce how the new £48 billion funding for Britain's railways will be allocated.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	109319
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2017 answer text <p>The independent regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), will determine the funding that Network Rail requires to deliver efficiently the outputs the Government set out in its High Level Output Specification (HLOS) for Control Period 6 (2019 – 2024) in July 2017 (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-07-20/HCWS86/). ORR will scrutinise Network Rail’s proposed Strategic Business Plans for Control Period 6 in early 2018 and will consult stakeholders on its draft determination on Network Rail’s outputs and funding for Control Period 6 in June 2018. ORR will publish its final determination in October 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The HLOS was focused on operations, maintenance and renewals outputs. The Government is developing a new process for the funding and delivery of enhancements. We will publish more information on this later in the year.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 01/11/2017 11:14:34 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

778260

	registered interest
	date	26/10/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Syria: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to increase its investment in education for women and girls in Syria.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	109969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2017 answer text <p>The UK continues to invest in education for women and girls affected by the crisis in Syria. We helped launch UNICEF’s No Lost Generation Initiative, which provides education, protection, and mental health support for children in Syria and neighbouring countries. In 2016/2017 alone, DFID helped provide over 350,000 children in Syria with access to formal primary education, half of whom were girls. In addition, over 80,000 children, including girls, were provided with access to non-formal education. DFID also helped to provide over 3,500 people in Syria with technical and vocational training, including women.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 02/11/2017 18:13:35 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

778835

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Syria: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to contribute to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, on inclusive and quality education for all and promoting lifelong learning with regard to women and girls in Syria.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	110069
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2017 answer text <p>The UK continues to invest in education for women and girls affected by the crisis in Syria. We helped launch UNICEF’s No Lost Generation Initiative, which provides education, protection, and mental health support for children in Syria and neighbouring countries. In 2016/2017 alone, DFID helped provide over 350,000 children in Syria with access to formal primary education, half of whom were girls. In addition, over 80,000 children, including girls, were provided with access to non-formal education. DFID also helped to provide over 3,500 people in Syria with technical and vocational training, including women.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 03/11/2017 17:48:28 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

778767

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Sleeping Rough
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment has been made of potential changes to the number of people sleeping rough during winter 2017-18.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	110152
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2017 answer text <p>This Government is committed to prevent and reduce homelessness in England. That is why we are aiming to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it altogether by 2027. No one should have to sleep rough, especially in winter.</p><p>DCLG publishes regular statistics on rough sleeping, statutory homelessness, temporary accommodation and homelessness prevention and relief. These are published at national and local authority level. The latest statistics can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics</a></p><p>We are taking action by implementing the most ambitious legislative reform in decades, the Homelessness Reduction Act, in April 2018, which will ensure that more people get the help they need earlier, to prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place.</p><p>One person without a home is one too many, and we are determined that we provide earlier and more effective support and advice to those at risk of homelessness. We have allocated over £950 million until 2020 to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping in England.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 06/11/2017 17:42:42 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

782655

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2017
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Electrical Safety: Departmental Responsibilities
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the responsibility for responding to the recommendations of his Department's Electrical Safety Working Group has been transferred to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	111241
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2017 answer text <p>An enabling power was included in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 allowing requirements for electrical safety standards in the private rented sector (PRS), and their enforcement, to be set through secondary legislation (affirmative) at a later date. Following Royal Assent, a Working Group of relevant experts was established to provide recommendations to ministers on what, if any, legislative requirements should be introduced. The Working Group’s report has been published online at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrical-safety-standards-in-the-private-rented-sector-working-group-report" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrical-safety-standards-in-the-private-rented-sector-working-group-report</a></p><p>We will engage further with the sector to test the recommendations of the Working Group to ensure that any regulation introduced is balanced and works for landlords and tenants.</p><p>There are no plans to transfer responsibility for this policy area.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 09/11/2017 13:49:41 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

787018

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Taxis: Registration
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a central UK-wide register of taxi and private hire vehicle drivers.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	112196
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>At a Westminster Hall Debate on 5 July, I announced my intention to set up a working group to consider the regulation of the trade and produce focussed recommendations for action. The Task and Finish Group on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing will report its findings to me in the new year.</p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes question first answered 16/11/2017 15:44:08 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

787017

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Taxis: Regulation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to update regulations relating to taxi and private hire vehicles; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	112195
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission undertook a comprehensive review of taxi and private hire regulation in England and Wales.</p><p> </p><p>Since this report the sector has undergone profound and rapid change. At a Westminster Hall Debate on 5 July I announced the formation of a working group to consider any regulatory issues and remedies, including the Commission’s recommendations. The group will report in the New Year.</p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes question first answered 16/11/2017 15:46:23 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

787019

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Taxis: Safety
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the safety of people using taxi and private hire vehicles as a result of the 2015 changes to the rules on cross-border taxi and private hire vehicle use.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	112197
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>The Task and Finish Group on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing that I set up is considering cross-border taxi and private hire vehicle use in its discussions, and will report its findings to me in the new year.</p><p> </p><p>At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission conducted a comprehensive review of private hire vehicle and taxi regulation in England and Wales. The ability to sub-contract private hire work across licensing authority boundaries was a recommendation of the Law Commission. Section 11 of the Deregulation Act 2015 enabled this and has allowed private hire operators to work more flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.</p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes question first answered 16/11/2017 17:00:46 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

787020

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Taxis
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of taxi and private hire vehicles which are working cross-border despite having their licences revoked by a local licensing authority.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	112198
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>I announced in a Westminster Hall debate that I would be setting up a working group to consider current issues concerning taxi and PHV licensing. That group is considering both cross-border working and enforcement and passenger safety as two of key areas for discussion and will report its findings to me in the new year.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport does not currently hold any data on the number of taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers who have had their licences revoked. The Department has not made any estimate of the number of taxis and PHV drivers working cross-border who have had their licences revoked by a local licensing authority.</p><p> </p><p>The Government attaches the utmost priority to passenger safety in the licenced taxi and PHV trade. The Department for Transport will consult on revised best practice guidance and for the first time statutory guidance enabled under the Policing and Crime Act 2017. This guidance will contain robust standards that we expect all licensing authorities to adopt; these will ensure all passengers, particularly children and vulnerable adults, are protected when using taxi and PHV services.</p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes grouped question UIN 112199 question first answered 16/11/2017 17:04:45 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

787021

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Taxis: Safety
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to put in place additional measures to empower local licensing authorities to ensure public safety in taxi and private hire vehicles.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	112199
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>I announced in a Westminster Hall debate that I would be setting up a working group to consider current issues concerning taxi and PHV licensing. That group is considering both cross-border working and enforcement and passenger safety as two of key areas for discussion and will report its findings to me in the new year.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport does not currently hold any data on the number of taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers who have had their licences revoked. The Department has not made any estimate of the number of taxis and PHV drivers working cross-border who have had their licences revoked by a local licensing authority.</p><p> </p><p>The Government attaches the utmost priority to passenger safety in the licenced taxi and PHV trade. The Department for Transport will consult on revised best practice guidance and for the first time statutory guidance enabled under the Policing and Crime Act 2017. This guidance will contain robust standards that we expect all licensing authorities to adopt; these will ensure all passengers, particularly children and vulnerable adults, are protected when using taxi and PHV services.</p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes grouped question UIN 112198 question first answered 16/11/2017 17:04:45 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

802361

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2017
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Affordable Housing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has made an assessment of the extent to which the use of viability assessments could reduce affordable housing contributions.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	118048
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2017 answer text <p>Stakeholders report that the use of viability assessments can add complexity and uncertainty to the planning process. This can lead to delays and diminished contributions towards infrastructure and affordable housing.</p><p>The Government consulted on proposals to reform the viability assessment process within the<em> Planning for the right homes in the right places consultation</em>. This will create more certainty about the contributions developers are expected to make to affordable housing and reduce the use of viability assessments at the planning application stage. The viability of the expected contributions should be tested at the plan-making stage. Where tested in plan-making, the issue should not usually need to be tested again at the planning application stage.</p><p>The consultation has now closed and we are currently analysing the responses. A further announcement will be made in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 118049 question first answered 14/12/2017 17:03:26 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

802362

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2017
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Affordable Housing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to prevent housing developers using loopholes in the Government's planning policy to reduce the number of affordable houses.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	118049
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2017 answer text <p>Stakeholders report that the use of viability assessments can add complexity and uncertainty to the planning process. This can lead to delays and diminished contributions towards infrastructure and affordable housing.</p><p>The Government consulted on proposals to reform the viability assessment process within the<em> Planning for the right homes in the right places consultation</em>. This will create more certainty about the contributions developers are expected to make to affordable housing and reduce the use of viability assessments at the planning application stage. The viability of the expected contributions should be tested at the plan-making stage. Where tested in plan-making, the issue should not usually need to be tested again at the planning application stage.</p><p>The consultation has now closed and we are currently analysing the responses. A further announcement will be made in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 118048 question first answered 14/12/2017 17:03:26 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

818848

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2018
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Reorganisation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of the renaming of his Department; and which new policy responsibilities his Department will discharge after it is renamed.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	121612
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2018 answer text <p>Building the homes our country needs is an absolute priority for this government. The name change for the department reflects this government’s renewed focus to deliver more homes and build stronger communities across England.</p><p>Any necessary will be done in a cost-efficient way with expenditure being kept to a minimum.</p><p>This would be a fraction of the cost of splitting up the Ministry as proposed by the opposition.</p> answering member constituency Rossendale and Darwen answering member printed Jake Berry grouped question UIN 121624 question first answered 11/01/2018 17:50:54 answering member 4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

819863

	registered interest
	date	10/01/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Biofuels: Subsidies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Clean Growth Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of subsidising biomass conversion.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	121935
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2018 answer text <p>Biomass conversions play an important transitional role in decarbonising the grid and helping to meet carbon targets. 2.98 GW of capacity is currently supported under the Renewables Obligation or has been awarded a contract under the Contracts for Difference scheme.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 17/01/2018 14:39:57 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

822975

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2018
	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	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Reorganisation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2018 to Question 121612, what the cost to the public purse is of renaming of his Department.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	122658
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2018 answer text <p>As set out in response to 121612, any necessary changes will be done in a cost-efficient way with expenditure being kept to a minimum.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rossendale and Darwen answering member printed Jake Berry question first answered 22/01/2018 16:27:02 answering member 4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry previous answer version 35209 answering member constituency Rossendale and Darwen answering member printed Jake Berry answering member 4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

823023

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2018
	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	Fines
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many civil penalties have been used by local authorities since their introduction in April 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	122706
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>The Housing and Planning Act 2016 provides new powers for local authorities to impose a civil penalty of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution for a range of offences under the Housing Act 2004. These powers came into force on 6 April 2017. The Government does not collect data on the number of civil penalties issued</p> answering member constituency Esher and Walton answering member printed Dominic Raab question first answered 23/01/2018 13:48:56 answering member 4007 label Biography information for Dominic Raab previous answer version 35211 answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

823025

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2018
	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	Private Rented Housing: Licensing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to extend mandatory licencing schemes for landlords in the private rented sector.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	122708
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government proposes to extend the scope of mandatory houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing, so that a licence is required for HMOs with five or more occupiers. We published our response to our HMO reforms consultation in December 2017, and we plan to lay the necessary regulations before Parliament shortly with a view to bringing them into force (subject to approval) in October 2018.</p> answering member constituency Esher and Walton answering member printed Dominic Raab question first answered 23/01/2018 13:49:24 answering member 4007 label Biography information for Dominic Raab previous answer version 35212 answering member constituency Esher and Walton answering member printed Dominic Raab answering member 4007 label Biography information for Dominic Raab
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

822999

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2018
	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	Veterinary Medicine: Migrant Workers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that slaughterhouse vets who are non-UK EU citizens can continue to work here after the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	122682
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>Veterinarians play a vital role in safeguarding United Kingdom public health, maintaining animal health and welfare and enabling trade. We value their work, and we want to ensure that they can continue to make an important contribution. Ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and officials at the Food Standards Agency have been talking to representatives of the profession to ensure that those who do such an essential job continue to feel valued and to play the important role they do in assuring the public of the very high standards of food hygiene.</p><p> </p><p>The Food Standards Agency are working on a number of contingencies to ensure that we maintain the excellent standards of food safety that the UK currently enjoys, and maintain an effective workforce.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 23/01/2018 14:07:02 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

822997

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2018
	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	Slaughterhouses: Animal Welfare
	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 is taking to protect animal welfare standards in slaughterhouses after the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	122680
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2018 answer text <p>The UK already has stricter national rules to protect animal welfare at slaughter than those laid down in the EU regulation and we will maintain those stricter national rules, alongside rolling-over current EU regulations, when we leave the EU.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, to increase protection of animals at slaughter, this year we will be introducing regulations to make it mandatory for all approved slaughterhouses in England to have CCTV installed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 23/01/2018 18:07:28 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

823395

	registered interest
	date	16/01/2018
	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	Landlords
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether tenants will be able to access the database of rogue landlords and property agents due to be published in April 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	122877
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2018 answer text <p>The national rogue landlord database will be a new tool to help local housing authorities with their housing standards enforcement work. It is part of a package of measures introduced by the Government under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, including new powers to ban landlords and to issue civil penalties for housing offences of up to £30,000.</p><p>The Act makes clear that information held on the database may not be published unless it is anonymised and the database will not be made public. Local housing authorities may wish to consider locally publicising successful banning orders they obtain. Once launched, we will keep under review the operation of the database and its use by local housing authorities to tackle rogue landlords</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 30/01/2018 15:47:18 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler previous answer version 35481 answering member constituency Esher and Walton answering member printed Dominic Raab answering member 4007 label Biography information for Dominic Raab
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

829956

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Biofuels
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to Ofgem's Biomass Sustainability dataset 2015-2016, published on 22 March 2017, what assessment he has made of the effect of UK biomass production on deforestation.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	124693
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>Reporting under Ofgem's Biomass Sustainability dataset 2015-2016, published on 22 March 2017, is a requirement on biomass generators to demonstrate compliance with UK biomass sustainability standards. The Department have not made an assessment of the effect of UK biomass production on deforestation.</p><p> </p><p>The “Biomass Feedstock Availability Report”, also published in 2017, shows that the large majority of woody biomass fuels in the UK are sourced from agricultural and forestry residues, arboricultural arisings, waste woods and sawmill products.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 31/01/2018 17:58:00 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

829885

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Renewable Energy: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Clean Growth Strategy, published on 12 October 2017, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing funding to biomass conversion and increase the resources available for wind and solar energy exploitation.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	124642
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2018 answer text <p>Renewable technologies now form a significant part of the UK’s energy mix, and the recent Clean Growth Strategy sets out policies to continue the expansion of the low carbon electricity sector. Coal to biomass conversions are a transitional technology in the decarbonisation of electricity, with all support under the renewables obligation and contracts for difference (CfD) schemes ending in 2027. We are improving the route to market for renewable technologies such as offshore wind by making up to £557m available for further CfD auctions, and working with industry to develop an ambitious Sector Deal for offshore wind which could result in 10 gigawatts of new capacity. No decisions have been made on further CfD auctions for the Pot 1 technologies.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 01/02/2018 11:48:03 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

829959

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Biofuels
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the number of virgin forests that have been affected by biomass production in the past three years; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	124695
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2018 answer text <p>The Department has not made a specific assessment of the number of virgin forests that have been affected by biomass production in the past three years.</p><p> </p><p>However to receive government support for heat and power generation from biomass in the UK, all biomass must comply with the UK’s sustainability criteria, which includes demonstrating that wood is supplied from legal and sustainable sources.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 01/02/2018 11:50:31 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

834223

	registered interest
	date	31/01/2018
	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	General Practitioners: Training
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is he taking to ensure that General Practitioners who host medical students on placements receive adequate funding for doing so.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	125856
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2018 answer text <p>The Department and Health Education England (HEE) are currently working together to develop a consistent and transparent payment mechanism for placements in primary care settings.</p><p> </p><p>Further information around the proposed funding arrangements for 2018-19 will be confirmed in March 2018 as part of the HEE budget setting process.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 07/02/2018 16:46:34 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

843766

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2018
	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	Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy that local referenda take place in advance of local authority mergers.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	128204
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2018 answer text <p>Our policy is to consider against the criteria the Secretary of State announced on 7 November 2017, any proposal for merging district councils when requested. It is for the councils making such a proposal to decide how to demonstrate the level of local support for it.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 22/02/2018 14:09:02 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

843763

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2018
	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	Local Government: Dorset
	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 assessment his Department has made of the merits of the proposed future Dorset local government review.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	128201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2018 answer text <p>The assessment that the Secretary of State made on 7 November 2017, when the he announced that he was 'minded-to' implement the locally-led proposal for improving local government in Dorset, was that this proposal if implemented is likely to improve local government across the area.</p><p>I am now assessing the proposal afresh, carefully considering all of the representations I have received, and I intend to announce my final decision shortly with the aim of achieving the best result for the people of Dorset.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak grouped question UIN 128202 question first answered 22/02/2018 14:11:20 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

843764

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2018
	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	Local Government: Dorset
	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 assessment his Department has made of the merits of the Future Dorset Proposal.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	128202
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2018 answer text <p>The assessment that the Secretary of State made on 7 November 2017, when the he announced that he was 'minded-to' implement the locally-led proposal for improving local government in Dorset, was that this proposal if implemented is likely to improve local government across the area.</p><p>I am now assessing the proposal afresh, carefully considering all of the representations I have received, and I intend to announce my final decision shortly with the aim of achieving the best result for the people of Dorset.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak grouped question UIN 128201 question first answered 22/02/2018 14:11:20 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

843765

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2018
	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	Local Government
	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 estimate his Department has made of the average cost to the public purse of local authority mergers in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	128203
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2018 answer text <p>The three proposals for merging district councils, which the Department has been considering over the last 12 months, have been assessed as delivering annual savings ranging from £0.8 to £3.1 million with pay back periods for covering one off transition costs from 1 to 3 years.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 22/02/2018 14:11:47 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

838231

	registered interest
	date	07/02/2018
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Cycling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Get Britain Cycling, published by the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group in 2013, if his Department will ensure that cycling infrastructure receives adequate funding in line with the recommendations in that report.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	127129
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2018 answer text <p>Cycling has many benefits, both for the individual and for society as a whole, and requires good cycling infrastructure. The Government’s first ever statutory Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, published in April 2017, sets out the £1.2 billion of funding that is available to support cycling and walking over the period to 2021. Since its publication, the Government has announced further support for cycling and walking infrastructure, including around £77 million of schemes funded through the National Productivity Investment Fund, and the potential for significant investment through the new £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund. Many of the funding decisions are for local authorities, and the Department is helping them to produce Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans which will help make the case for investment in their own areas.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 26/02/2018 17:25:31 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

847795

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2018
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Voyeurism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to criminalise up-skirting under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	129471
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2018 answer text <p>I am encouraged to see that up-skirting has been successfully prosecuted on a number of occasions under the offence of outraging public decency. My officials are reviewing the various laws in this area to check and ensure we have the appropriate remedies for these offences.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 28/02/2018 10:36:01 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

850094

	registered interest
	date	26/02/2018
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Voyeurism
	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 prevent the practice of up-skirting in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	129662
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2018 answer text <p>Sexual harassment is unacceptable and not an inevitable part of growing up. Schools should develop a whole-school approach to preventing harassment, underpinned by school behaviour policies and pastoral support.</p><p> </p><p>The department published advice for schools covering child on child sexual harassment and sexual violence on 14 December 2017. Central themes include supporting victims of abuse, a whole-school approach to safeguarding and preventative education. The advice is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) is statutory guidance; all schools must have regard to it when carrying out safeguarding duties and promoting children’s welfare. The guidance is clear all schools should have effective child protection policies and provide a safe education environment. If there are concerns about a child, referrals should be made to children’s social care and if appropriate, the police. A consultation on proposed changes to KCSIE closed on 22 February 2018. We are considering the best way to strengthen guidance with regard to sexual violence and sexual harassment.</p><p> </p><p>The department has published advice to support schools develop behaviour policies. The advice is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 129663 question first answered 01/03/2018 16:30:41 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

850095

	registered interest
	date	26/02/2018
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Voyeurism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department provides to students who are victims of the practice of up-skirting.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	129663
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2018 answer text <p>Sexual harassment is unacceptable and not an inevitable part of growing up. Schools should develop a whole-school approach to preventing harassment, underpinned by school behaviour policies and pastoral support.</p><p> </p><p>The department published advice for schools covering child on child sexual harassment and sexual violence on 14 December 2017. Central themes include supporting victims of abuse, a whole-school approach to safeguarding and preventative education. The advice is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) is statutory guidance; all schools must have regard to it when carrying out safeguarding duties and promoting children’s welfare. The guidance is clear all schools should have effective child protection policies and provide a safe education environment. If there are concerns about a child, referrals should be made to children’s social care and if appropriate, the police. A consultation on proposed changes to KCSIE closed on 22 February 2018. We are considering the best way to strengthen guidance with regard to sexual violence and sexual harassment.</p><p> </p><p>The department has published advice to support schools develop behaviour policies. The advice is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 129662 question first answered 01/03/2018 16:30:42 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

850093

	registered interest
	date	26/02/2018
	answering body	Scotland Office
	answering dept id	2
	answering dept short name	Scotland
	answering dept sort name	Scotland
	hansard heading	Voyeurism: Scotland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Scottish Government on the effectiveness of the provisions relating to up-skirting in the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 and (b) Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of bringing forward such legislative proposals for England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	129661
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2018 answer text <p>The Scottish Government is responsible for criminal justice in Scotland. Ministry of Justice officials engage regularly with colleagues in the Scottish Government on a broad range of criminal justice issues, has included upskirting, sharing information and best practice as appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>I am also in regular discussion with the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on such matters.</p> answering member constituency Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale answering member printed David Mundell question first answered 01/03/2018 17:25:20 answering member 1512 label Biography information for David Mundell
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

850097

	registered interest
	date	26/02/2018
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Public Transport: Voyeurism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of the practice of up-skirting on public transport.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	129665
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2018 answer text <p>We do not have an assessment of the prevalence of this practice for the whole of public transport.</p><p> </p><p>‘Upskirting’ is likely to be a covert act by perpetrators to avoid challenge or detection, so reporting numbers are likely to be low.</p><p> </p><p>However, for the rail network, the British Transport Police (BTP) has seen an increase in reports following the joint BTP / Transport for London (TfL) &quot;Report it to stop it&quot; campaign, which heightened awareness and increased victim confidence to report.</p><p> </p><p>BTP has successfully secured a number of prosecutions under the common law offence of ‘outraging public decency’.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson question first answered 01/03/2018 17:38:57 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

847810

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2018
	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	Media: Voyeurism
	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 discussions he has had with the Minister for Women and Equalities on up-skirting photographs appearing in the media.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	129486
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2018 answer text <p>Up-skirting is a violation of privacy and causes considerable distress for victims. There are laws on privacy that publishers and broadcasters must abide by. Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.</p> answering member constituency Stourbridge answering member printed Margot James question first answered 05/03/2018 10:59:06 answering member 4115 label Biography information for Margot James
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

851598

	registered interest
	date	28/02/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Intellectual Property
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the British intellectual property sector and the businesses that rely upon that sector.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	130361
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2018 answer text <p>The UK has one of the best IP regimes in the world, and leaving the EU will not change that: we will continue to deliver quality rights granting services, lead the world in enforcement and engage in international IP discussions. The Government is considering options to ensure that the UK’s intellectual property regime will continue to support business and innovation in the future.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 05/03/2018 14:35:04 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

847798

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2018
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Voyeurism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of record-keeping by the police in relation to up-skirting.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	129474
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2018 answer text <p>We expect the police to record and investigate all crimes that are reported to them. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services inspect all forces to assess the integrity of their recorded crime data.</p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 12/03/2018 18:24:21 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

847790

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2018
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Voyeurism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice , what support the Government is offering to women who have been the victims of up-skirting.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	129466
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that victims of crime have access to a broad range of support services, to help them cope with and, as far as possible, recover from the effects of crime. We are spending £96m in 2017/18 to fund support services for victims of crime. Around £68m of this has been allocated to Police and Crime Commissioners to locally commission or provide support services for victims of crime, including for victims of offences related to up-skirting.</p> answering member constituency Bracknell answering member printed Dr Phillip Lee question first answered 13/03/2018 14:57:56 answering member 3921 label Biography information for Dr Phillip Lee previous answer version 43942 answering member constituency Bracknell answering member printed Dr Phillip Lee answering member 3921 label Biography information for Dr Phillip Lee
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

861129

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2018
	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	Local Government: Elections
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will permit people running in local council elections to put their electoral ward as their address for personnel security reasons.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	132278
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2018 answer text <p>In its Response (Cm9578) published on the 14 March 2018, to the Committee on Standards in Public Life Review of Intimidation in Public Life, the Government accepts the Committee’s recommendation to remove the requirement for candidates standing as local councillors to have their home address published on the ballot paper, and will look to bring forward secondary legislation to achieve this at a suitable opportunity with the aim of effecting this change in time for the 2019 local elections. The intention is for this secondary legislation to replace the requirement for a specific address with an option to include a statement of residence based on an electoral area where the candidate lives.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 16/03/2018 14:20:50 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

867168

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2018
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit: Housing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the savings accrued to the public purse in 2017-18 as a result of the removal of the automatic eligibility of 18 to 21 year-olds to claim universal credit for housing costs.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	133286
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2018 answer text <p>As a result of the removal of the automatic eligibility of 18 to 21 year olds to claim universal credit for housing costs the Department estimates savings of £5 million in welfare spending in 2017/2018.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/03/2018 14:59:20 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

867169

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2018
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit: Housing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish the categories of decisions for turning down applications from 18 to 21 year olds for universal credit claims for housing costs .
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	133287
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2018 answer text <p>The Department holds no record of reasons for claimants being refused housing costs. Eligibility for housing costs is assessed against the exemption criteria for the policy. Claimants which do not meet any of the exemption criteria are not eligible for housing support.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 22/03/2018 15:08:15 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

886231

	registered interest
	date	18/04/2018
	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	Unitary Councils
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons his Department has changed the lower parameter of a population of 300,000 for a unitary authority from being set only in guidance to being a requirement; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	136426
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2018 answer text <p>It is the statutory guidance, issued by the Secretary of State on 27 March 2018 under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which states that a proposal for unitary local government should seek to achieve unitary authorities with populations as a minimum substantially in excess of 300,000.</p><p>The Secretary of State has issued this guidance, including on population size, having regard to past reorganisations, the Northamptonshire County Council Best Value Inspection Report of March 2018, and research, including that from the County Councils Network in 2016 into lessons from previous unitarisations which found that the scale of a unitary council was key, with larger authorities able to deliver economies of scale while smaller unitary councils were more likely to be less resilient, putting key services at potential risk.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak grouped question UIN 136427 136428 question first answered 23/04/2018 15:27:18 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

886232

	registered interest
	date	18/04/2018
	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	Unitary Councils
	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 the (a) reasons and (b) evidential basis are for the threshold of a population of 300,000 being chosen as a requirement for unitary authorities.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	136427
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2018 answer text <p>It is the statutory guidance, issued by the Secretary of State on 27 March 2018 under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which states that a proposal for unitary local government should seek to achieve unitary authorities with populations as a minimum substantially in excess of 300,000.</p><p>The Secretary of State has issued this guidance, including on population size, having regard to past reorganisations, the Northamptonshire County Council Best Value Inspection Report of March 2018, and research, including that from the County Councils Network in 2016 into lessons from previous unitarisations which found that the scale of a unitary council was key, with larger authorities able to deliver economies of scale while smaller unitary councils were more likely to be less resilient, putting key services at potential risk.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak grouped question UIN 136426 136428 question first answered 23/04/2018 15:27:18 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

886233

	registered interest
	date	18/04/2018
	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	Unitary Councils
	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 assessment his Department has made of the implications for other unitary authorities of its requirement for the population of a unitary council at a minimum being substantially in excess of 300,000.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	136428
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2018 answer text <p>It is the statutory guidance, issued by the Secretary of State on 27 March 2018 under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which states that a proposal for unitary local government should seek to achieve unitary authorities with populations as a minimum substantially in excess of 300,000.</p><p>The Secretary of State has issued this guidance, including on population size, having regard to past reorganisations, the Northamptonshire County Council Best Value Inspection Report of March 2018, and research, including that from the County Councils Network in 2016 into lessons from previous unitarisations which found that the scale of a unitary council was key, with larger authorities able to deliver economies of scale while smaller unitary councils were more likely to be less resilient, putting key services at potential risk.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak grouped question UIN 136426 136427 question first answered 23/04/2018 15:27:18 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

890519

	registered interest
	date	24/04/2018
	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	Housing: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March to Question 132182 on Housing: Finance, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the bidding process for local authorities councils to be allocate housing-related funding.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	137637
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2018 answer text <p>The Government is investing over £9 billion in the Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21, to support councils and housing associations to deliver genuinely affordable homes where they are needed most.</p><p>We have confirmed long-term rent certainty for social landlords in England and announced that we will be providing councils with £1 billion of additional borrowing to deliver homes where demand is greatest. These measures, and the additional Affordable Homes Programme funding, will support local authorities to deliver a new generation of council house building.</p><p>The programme is flexible and sets no ring-fences on particular forms of tenure, so providers can bid into the programme to develop a wide range of homes to meet the housing needs of a range of people in different circumstances and housing markets – building the right homes in the right places.</p> answering member constituency Esher and Walton answering member printed Dominic Raab question first answered 01/05/2018 12:24:28 answering member 4007 label Biography information for Dominic Raab previous answer version 54658 answering member constituency Esher and Walton answering member printed Dominic Raab answering member 4007 label Biography information for Dominic Raab
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse