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583143

	registered interest
	date	14/09/2016
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Diego Garcia: Military Bases
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the outcome has been of recent discussions with the US administration on renewal of the military base in the British Indian Ocean Territory; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	46439
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2016 answer text <p>​The Government welcomes the US presence on Diego Garcia and as such, we continue to discuss with the US Government their continued use of Diego Garcia. US presence on the island of Diego Garcia is governed by a series of agreements, called Exchanges of Notes, of which the overarching agreement sets out that the whole Territory should be made available for UK and US defence purposes for an initial 50 year period of 1966 to 2016. If neither side object during a two year window of December 2014 to December 2016, the agreement will continue as it stands until end December 2036. An announcement on the outcome of discussions will be made to Parliament and the public in due course.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 12/10/2016 16:21:53 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

982704

	registered interest
	date	08/10/2018
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Caribbean: Hurricanes and Tornadoes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2018 to Question 173559 on Caribbean: Hurricanes and Tornadoes, what proportion of that £196 million spent in September 2017 on Caribbean hurricane relief was used to support British Overseas Territories.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	176229
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2018 answer text <p>£72m was committed to help the Overseas Territories. This funding delivered the UK Government’s immediate response and support for early recovery priorities in the three affected territories of Anguilla, British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands. Further to this, the Prime Minister committed a further £70m for reconstruction efforts and up to £300m of UK Government loan guarantees.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 15/10/2018 14:33:29 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

750684

	registered interest
	date	11/07/2017
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Unmanned Air Vehicles
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to restrict drone access over prisons; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	4266
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2017 answer text <p>We take a zero tolerance approach to smuggling of contraband into prisons and work closely with the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to ensure those caught are prosecuted.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, a range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate.</p><p> </p><p>We have already introduced new legislation to further strengthen our powers, making it illegal to land a drone in a prison or to use a drone to drop in contraband.</p><p> </p><p>We have had successful prosecutions due to intelligence led operations and working closely with the local police forces to prevent the use of drones to smuggle contraband into prisons.</p><p> </p><p>To date, there has been a total of 35 arrests and 11 convictions of criminals involved in drone activity – resulting in those convicted sentenced to a total of more than 40 years in jail.</p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 19/07/2017 15:33:53 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

576924

	registered interest
	date	06/09/2016
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Railways: Franchises
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the size of (a) rail franchises and (b) the Govia Thameslink rail franchise on the efficient delivery of rail services.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	45089
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2016 answer text <p>We take a very large number of factors into account when determining the most appropriate way forward when franchises are due for renewal. We undertook just such an assessment when considering options for the most appropriate approach to providing passenger rail services during the delivery of the Thameslink Programme infrastructure and the introduction of new rolling stock. This included balancing the size of the franchise against the need to ensure effective coordination of all the services on the lines affected by Thameslink during the construction period. We of course always take into account lessons learned from practice when looking at similar decisions in the future.</p><p> </p><p>Regarding the size of the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise, as I made clear at the Transport Select Committee, it is unlikely the Department will wish to let such a franchise in the future. The size of the franchise is a factor in this assessment. However, I believe that with the measures recently announced this franchise should deliver a better passenger experience in the future.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 13/09/2016 09:54:47 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1023809

	registered interest
	date	12/12/2018
	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	Loneliness
	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 steps his Department is taking to help tackle loneliness.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	908187
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2018 answer text <p>We recently published our strategy for tackling loneliness. This set out a raft of cross-government measures to take the first steps in tackling loneliness and takes forward recommendations from the Jo Cox Commission.</p><p> </p><p>DCMS specifically is providing up to £1.8million to increase the number of community spaces available. This follows the announcement this summer of more than £20million of new funding for projects that bring people and communities together.</p><p> </p><p>With the Office of National Statistics, the department has developed the ‘loneliness measure’ (to enable consistent analysis and build the evidence base), and will be piloting better use of open data around facilities and accessibility with local government. The department is launching an awareness campaign and including loneliness in internet safety.</p> answering member constituency Eastleigh answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 908183 question first answered 13/12/2018 17:17:15 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

638059

	registered interest
	date	16/11/2016
	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	Non-domestic Rates
	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 discussions he has had with local authorities on 100 per cent business rate retention; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	53475
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2016 answer text <p>We recently conducted a consultation on our approach to the implementation of 100% Business Rates Retention. There were over 450 responses from local authorities, businesses interests and other organisations. My officials are currently considering these and we will publish a summary of the responses and our proposed way forward in due course. In the meantime, we will continue close collaboration with local government in taking this work forward, including through the Business Rates Retention Steering Group, which is jointly chaired by the Local Government Association and the Department for Communities and Local Government.</p><p>The Steering Group was established to consider the mechanisms needed to set up and run the new business rates system, as well as the timetable and implementation of the reforms. It oversees the work of a set of technical working groups, each looking at particular aspects of the reforms. The Group meets on a regular basis and has done so on 6 occasions since April 2016. All papers for meetings are published here: <a href="http://www.local.gov.uk/business-rates" target="_blank">http://www.local.gov.uk/business-rates</a></p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 24/11/2016 16:42:17 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

785118

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2017
	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	Animal Breeding: Licensing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish draft regulations on single animal establishment licences.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	111822
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>We intend to lay draft regulations on animal activity licensing schemes before Parliament early next year. Since the end of the public consultation last year and the publication of the Next Steps document setting out the way forward in February 2017, Defra has been working closely with key sectors and stakeholders to refine the regulations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 16/11/2017 16:17:34 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

786827

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2017
	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	Telecommunications: Investment
	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 progress she has made on digital infrastructure investment to support the next generation of mobile and broadband communications; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	112218
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2017 answer text <p>We have provided £1.1 billion of new funding to support the next generation of digital infrastructure in the UK, including investment in full fibre networks and 5G testbeds and trials.</p><p>The Government’s policy ambitions in this area are outlined in the Digital and 5G strategies, which set out an ambitious set of actions that we will take.</p><p>DCMS has been engaging widely with industry, academic institutions and local areas as it progresses work in this area. The first waves of projects under both programmes have been announced.</p><p>We will keep our approach under review to ensure that we have the right market and policy framework to maximise future investment in full fibre and 5G technologies.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matt Hancock question first answered 20/11/2017 13:24:59 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

947507

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2018
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Academies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing for a route whereby schools in difficulty which have been converted to academy status can revert to local authority control; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	168014
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2018 answer text <p>We have no plans to consider returning schools back to local authorities.</p><p>Indeed, as of March 2018, over half a million pupils now study in sponsored academies that are rated Good or Outstanding; they typically replaced underperforming maintained schools.</p><p>The department firmly believe that becoming an academy can bring enormous benefits to schools and their pupils; coming together in a multi-academy trust, sharing expertise, working collaboratively, driving improvements.</p><p>Hundreds of schools every year continue to voluntarily choose to become an academy and join a multi academy trust.</p><p>The department is working on a range of methods and tools for building trust capacity and assessing risk.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 04/09/2018 09:42:34 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

982661

	registered interest
	date	08/10/2018
	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	Blood Cancer: Drugs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many blood cancer patients have received medicine funded by the Cancer Drugs Fund by each medicine since 2016.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	176228
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2018 answer text <p>We have been informed by NHS England that since the implementation of the new Cancer Drugs Fund on 29 July 2016, 7,821 patients have been registered to receive treatment for a blood cancer, out of a total of approximately 25,700 patients who have been registered to receive cancer drug treatment. NHS England has advised that it is unable to provide a breakdown of patients registered to receive treatment with each medicine for reasons of commercial confidentiality.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 16/10/2018 16:10:46 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith