Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1700143

registered interest
date	12/04/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Witham Industrial Watch: Business Improvement Districts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when his Department plans to respond to the correspondence of 29 January 2024 from Witham Industrial Watch Ltd providing notice under regulation 3(2) of the Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004 that they are proposing to initiate a Business Improvement District renewal ballot.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	21007
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>The department responded to Witham Industrial Watch Ltd to confirm receipt of their letter dated 29 January 2024.</p> answering member constituency North Dorset answering member printed Simon Hoare question first answered 18/04/2024 15:13:46 answering member 4494 label Biography information for Simon Hoare
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1692415

registered interest
date	28/02/2024
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Horizon IT System
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what weighting the Post Office Horizon compensation scheme gives to individual sub-postmaster’s (a) mental health, (b) physical health and (c) family circumstances when calculating compensation offers.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	16097
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>Across the compensation schemes, cases are assessed individually on their facts in accordance with established legal principles. On the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) and GLO scheme, postmasters can claim for any losses they have experienced as a result of Horizon shortfalls. Similarly, postmasters with overturned convictions can claim for any loss they have suffered as a result of their conviction. These losses can include the impact on their mental or physical health.</p><p>Where family members have also been affected, the joint losses are also recoverable under the various Horizon-related compensation schemes.</p> answering member constituency Thirsk and Malton answering member printed Kevin Hollinrake question first answered 08/03/2024 15:54:07 answering member 4474 label Biography information for Kevin Hollinrake
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1686955

registered interest
date	01/02/2024
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	A12
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects work on the A12 widening scheme to begin and to be completed.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	901424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p><strong> </strong>National Highways set out its expected delivery schedule on the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme (junctions 19 to 25) in its Delivery Plan Update, with start of works expected in 2023/24 and open for traffic in Road Period 3 (2025-2030).</p><p> </p><p>National Highways reports on delivery, regularly updating progress on its website and will provide more details in due course.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State granted development consent for the A12 to A120 Widening Scheme on the 12 January 2024. The Department is unable to comment on the details of the decision during the 6-week High Court challenge period, which began the day after the consent was published.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/02/2024 08:49:24 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1679065

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Government Departments: Cost Effectiveness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Government Efficiency Framework; and if he will make an estimate of the impact of that framework on costs to the public purse (i) so far and (ii) in each of the next three financial years.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	7560
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2024 answer text <p>All departments are expected to use the framework to measure and categorise efficiencies.</p><p> </p><p>The framework aims to standardise and simplify definitions and processes across the finance function, building on work already being done by departments as part of business as usual budgeting and financial management processes. As such, we do not expect there to be any direct implementation costs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 09/01/2024 14:38:36 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1679068

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Government Departments: Cost Effectiveness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to reduce costs across Government departments in each of the next five years; and what estimate he has made of the resulting annual savings, by department.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	7563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2024 answer text <p>Spending Review 2021 set UK Government Departmental budgets for the rest of this Parliament (up to 2024-25).</p><p> </p><p>Individual Departmental budgets beyond 2024-25 will be set at the next Spending Review.</p><p> </p><p>To control spending and reduce debt in accordance with the fiscal rules, the government is maintaining a consistent focus on tackling productivity across the public sector. I am leading an ambitious Public Sector Productivity Programme, which will reduce costs across government by changing the way we deliver public services, cutting down waste and reducing the amount of time spent on administrative tasks.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 09/01/2024 14:36:57 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1673149

registered interest
date	27/11/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Taxation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the (a) amount raised through the apprenticeship levy and (b) number of apprenticeship levy service accounts in each year since its introduction.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	3786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2023 answer text <p>The apprenticeship levy is a key part of the government’s reforms to the apprenticeship system and enables employers of all sizes to make a long-term, sustainable and high-quality investment in training. Monthly receipts data for the apprenticeship levy is published by HM Revenue and Customs in their tax and national insurance contributions receipts publication, which can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk</a>.</p><p>The table below shows the total number of levy-paying employer accounts created on the apprenticeship service in each financial yearsince its introduction in the 2016/17 financial year. It is pleasing to see annual increases in the number of levy-paying employers registering an account on the apprenticeship service.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>FY</p></td><td><p>New accounts created</p></td><td><p>Total accounts (cumulative)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>4,630</p></td><td><p>4,630</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>8,640</p></td><td><p>13,270</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>2,970</p></td><td><p>16,240</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>2,030</p></td><td><p>18,270</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>1,870</p></td><td><p>20,140</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>1,920</p></td><td><p>22,060</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022/23</p></td><td><p>1,280</p></td><td><p>23,340</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023/24</p></td><td><p>750</p></td><td><p>24,090</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 05/12/2023 12:19:53 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1673153

registered interest
date	27/11/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Taxation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much and what proportion of funds raised from the apprenticeship levy have remained unspent within the two year threshold in each year since its introduction.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	3788
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2023 answer text <p>The government introduced the apprenticeship levy to incentivise larger businesses to develop and invest in their own apprenticeship programmes whilst ensuring the availability of funding for smaller employers wanting to offer apprenticeships. Through the levy, the government is increasing investment in the apprenticeships system in England to £2.7 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to support employers of all sizes build their workforces. As the apprenticeships levy is UK wide, income from the levy also supports the Devolved Administrations to invest in their skills programmes.</p><p> </p><p>In England, employers can use their levy contributions to fund apprenticeships in their own business or transfer their funds to other businesses in their supply chain, sector or region. Funds that levy payers do not draw on is used to fund apprenticeships in small and medium sized businesses. Levy payers are not expected to use all funds available to them, though they are able to do so.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the number of registered employer apprenticeship service accounts that utilised all their funds available, as well as the number that did not, in each financial year since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>FY</p></td><td><p>Number of registered employer accounts on the apprenticeship service that utilised all funds available</p></td><td><p>Number of registered employer accounts on the apprenticeship service that did not utilise all their funds available and therefore had expired funds</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>5650</p></td><td><p>7570</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>5030</p></td><td><p>10660</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>4930</p></td><td><p>11960</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>5210</p></td><td><p>12230</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>6790</p></td><td><p>11920</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Please note that:</p><ul><li>Funds remain available for 24 months before they begin to expire on a rolling, month-by-month basis; as employers began to pay the apprenticeship levy in April 2017, unused levy funds began to expire in May 2019.</li><li>The sum of expiry figures for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years are not specified as funds do not expire for 24 months.</li><li>Expiry figures for the 2017/2018 financial year will appear lower than future years due to the oldest funds in an employers’ accounts being utilised first.</li><li>Expiry figures for the 2021/22 financial year only include data to October and therefore does not represent a full year.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>The funds available to levy-paying employers through their apprenticeship service accounts are not the same as the apprenticeships budget which funds apprenticeships for employers of all sizes. On average, 98% of the apprenticeships budget has been spent in the last two financial years. Spend for the 2023/24 financial year, and for future years, will be set out in the department’s annual report and accounts which will be published when available. The apprenticeships budget beyond 2024/25 will be determined at the next Spending Review.</p><p>With regard to allowing levy-paying employers to spend funds on non-apprenticeship training schemes and courses, I refer my right hon. Friend, the Member for Witham to the answer I gave on 10 November 2023 to Question <a href="https://members.parliament.uk/member/4862/contact" target="_blank">614</a>.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon grouped question UIN 3787 3789 3792 question first answered 13/12/2023 17:35:26 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1666538

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	4G and 5G: Essex
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) 4G and (b) 5G coverage in (i) Essex and (ii) Witham constituency.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	203818
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>This Government is taking steps to improve both 4G and 5G coverage across the country.</p><p> </p><p>Improvements in 4G coverage have already started to be delivered through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, which is targeting areas of the country with partial or no coverage. This agreement will see the government and industry jointly invest over £1 billion to increase outdoor 4G mobile coverage across the UK to 95% by the end of 2025. All four MNOs expect to increase coverage in both Witham and the East of England as they fill partial ‘not spots’ in these areas.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the SRN, the mobile network operators invest around £2 billion annually in enhancing and improving their networks.</p><p> </p><p>In our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April this year, we set out the Government’s vision for wireless connectivity and shared a new ambition for nationwide coverage of higher quality standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030. This provides a long-term ambition to help the private sector invest in 5G networks by supporting competition, driving down deployment costs and driving the take-up of innovative, 5G-enabled tech by the business and the public sector.</p><p> </p><p>The Department provides extensive guidance for local authorities and operators to help facilitate broadband and mobile deployment through the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-connectivity-portal" target="_blank">Digital Connectivity Portal</a>. We have also taken steps to make it easier and cheaper for operators to deploy 4G and 5G. This includes reforming the planning system in England. Alongside this, measures within the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, will support upgrades of sites to 5G.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 203819 question first answered 25/10/2023 12:59:56 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1666539

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	4G: Essex
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress has been made on the Shared Rural Network arrangements to improve (a) outdoor and (b) indoor 4G coverage in (i) Essex and (ii) Witham constituency.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	203819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>This Government is taking steps to improve both 4G and 5G coverage across the country.</p><p> </p><p>Improvements in 4G coverage have already started to be delivered through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, which is targeting areas of the country with partial or no coverage. This agreement will see the government and industry jointly invest over £1 billion to increase outdoor 4G mobile coverage across the UK to 95% by the end of 2025. All four MNOs expect to increase coverage in both Witham and the East of England as they fill partial ‘not spots’ in these areas.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the SRN, the mobile network operators invest around £2 billion annually in enhancing and improving their networks.</p><p> </p><p>In our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April this year, we set out the Government’s vision for wireless connectivity and shared a new ambition for nationwide coverage of higher quality standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030. This provides a long-term ambition to help the private sector invest in 5G networks by supporting competition, driving down deployment costs and driving the take-up of innovative, 5G-enabled tech by the business and the public sector.</p><p> </p><p>The Department provides extensive guidance for local authorities and operators to help facilitate broadband and mobile deployment through the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/digital-connectivity-portal" target="_blank">Digital Connectivity Portal</a>. We have also taken steps to make it easier and cheaper for operators to deploy 4G and 5G. This includes reforming the planning system in England. Alongside this, measures within the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, will support upgrades of sites to 5G.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale grouped question UIN 203818 question first answered 25/10/2023 12:59:56 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1665905

registered interest
date	18/10/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Reoffenders: Monitoring
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference his oral statement of 16 October 2023 on Prison Capacity, Official Report, columns 59-60, what steps his Department plans to take monitor the reoffending rates of offenders who (a) are released early from custodial sentences and (b) receive non-custodial sentences.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	203284
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>This Government is driving down reoffending by investing in a wide range of rehabilitative interventions to help prison leavers secure accommodation, employment, and substance misuse treatment on release. The overall proven reoffending rate for England and Wales was 24.4% in 2020/21, down from 31.6% in 2010/11.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice will continue to publish quarterly proven reoffending rates, including breakdowns by non-custodial sentences. For those moved onto licence conditions before their automatic release point, robust licence conditions will apply in every case, with offenders supervised by probation officers. Breach of these licence conditions can result in recall.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 26/10/2023 11:12:47 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel