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416818

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2015
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Science: Apprentices
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which training providers have received funding from the Skills Funding Agency to deliver science-related apprenticeships frameworks; and how many such apprenticeships each such provider is delivering.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	8534
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2015 answer text <p>A list of providers who received funding to deliver apprenticeships in the Science and Maths Sector Subject Area and apprenticeship participation on these frameworks (Academic Year 2013/14) has been provided in the attached document.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 14/09/2015 15:54:53 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles attachment 1 file name Science and maths apprenticeships by provider.xls title science and maths apprenticeships table
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

418660

	registered interest
	date	14/09/2015
	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	Homelessness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on the future of the homelessness prevention grant.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10178
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>Our £500 million investment in local authority and voluntary sector homelessness services has contributed to local authorities preventing 935,800 households from becoming homeless since 2010. Together with other Departments, we are considering the overall level of funding for local government through the Spending Review.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 12/10/2015 14:33:14 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419455

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Export Controls
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that criterion 8 of the consolidated EU Licensing Criteria document is consistently applied to all export licences.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>The Department for International Development (DFID) is responsible for assessing licence applications against Criterion 8. DFID considers export licence applications destined to all International Development Association eligible countries and may also ask to see applications in respect of other countries of concern. Further information on DFID’s role is given in the Government’s Strategic Export Controls Annual Report for 2014, which was presented to Parliament on 16 July 2015 and is also available on the gov.uk website.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 16/10/2015 12:25:57 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419507

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Fossil Fuels: Subsidies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if the Government will make it its policy to eliminate all indirect and direct fossil fuel subsidies within the present Parliament.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10572
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The UK does not have any fossil fuel subsidies. The Government sees clear benefits from climate, domestic energy security and budgetary stability perspectives, of phasing out such subsidies internationally. Therefore, where helpful, we will continue to aid the global effort to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. The UK remains a strong supporter of the G20 commitment to rationalise and phase out, over the medium term, inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption. You may also be aware that my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced that the UK will support the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Communique - which is to be presented at the Climate Change negotiations in Paris later this year - calling for more action on this matter.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 12/10/2015 13:42:49 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419508

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Energy Supply
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if the Government will allocate infrastructure funding to support grid upgrades and enable a low-carbon future.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10573
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government recognises the vital role that networks play in meeting our low-carbon ambitions. It is for Ofgem, as the independent regulator, to allocate funding to network companies for grid upgrades. In the latest 8-year regulatory price controls Ofgem has allowed funding of up to £21.5bn [1] for electricity transmission and £24.6bn [2] for electricity distribution to expand, replace and maintain the networks.</p><p><em><strong>[1]</strong></em><em> 2009-10 prices</em></p><p><em><em><strong>[2]</strong></em></em><em> 2012-13 prices</em></p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 12/10/2015 13:42:06 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419509

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Energy Supply
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will bring forward proposals to change Ofgem regulations to allow distribution network operator companies to upgrade grid infrastructure speculatively, in order that they may plan ahead for new renewable energy.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10574
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>Ofgem, as the independent regulator, has consulted on allowing greater anticipatory investment in electricity distribution networks. It expects to publish its views and next steps by the end of September. The consultation and responses are available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/quicker-and-more-efficient-distribution-connections" target="_blank">https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/quicker-and-more-efficient-distribution-connections</a>.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 12/10/2015 13:41:05 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419511

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Environment Protection: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if her Department will consult openly on what scheme will succeed ECO and the Green Deal, and in that consultation address the issues of (a) accessibility of funding for community groups, (b) fuel bill levies and (c) quality assurance.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government is committed to working closely with industry and consumer groups on a new value for money approach to the future policy framework for energy efficiency, learning lessons from past approaches. The Government is also committed to keeping energy bills as low as possible as part of a long-term, coherent and affordable policy framework. The longer-term future of ECO will be part of these discussions around a new, better-integrated policy and we will formally consult on changes to ECO regulations at the appropriate moment. In the meantime we have been and will continue to engage with stakeholders about all aspects of a new policy framework including accessibility of funding for community groups. The Government has also commissioned an independent review led by Peter Bonfield to investigate consumer advice, protection, standards and enforcement of energy efficiency and renewable energy schemes and to ensure that the system properly supports and protects consumers.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 12/10/2015 13:44:06 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419512

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Energy: Conservation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if the Government will make it its policy to set energy efficiency targets higher than those set out in the 2015 Conservative election manifesto.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10575
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>Alongside its specific manifesto commitment of insulating a million more homes over the next five years, supporting our commitment to tackle fuel poverty, this Government is also committed to keeping energy bills as low as possible as part of a long-term, coherent and affordable policy framework. We are also guided by our legally binding objectives on tackling fuel poverty and carbon, which require us to cut the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the period 2023-2027, which we will do as cost effectively as possible, and to enable as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable to reach energy efficiency Band C by 2030.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 12/10/2015 13:40:37 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419557

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Females
	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 (a) improve the lives of women and girls around the world and (b) eradicate gender inequality.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10576
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>Tackling gender equality is a top priority for my Department. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/298253/Strategic_Vision_for_Girls_and_Women_Narrative_-_November_2013-4.pdf" target="_blank">Our Strategic Vision for Girls and Women</a> puts voice, choice and control for girls and women at the centre of our international development efforts.</p><p>We fought hard in international negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for a strong stand-alone goal on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, as well as gender-sensitive targets throughout the SDG framework. An SDG framework incorporating strong gender goals and targets was adopted by the UN General Assembly last month and will be critical to achieving transformational change to the lives of girls and women across the globe. We will now work to support international action on implementing and monitoring the SDGs.</p> answering member constituency Putney answering member printed Justine Greening question first answered 12/10/2015 12:12:24 answering member 1555 label Biography information for Justine Greening
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419564

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Ministry of Justice: Concentrix
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish the Synnex-Concentrix business case.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10627
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>I refer the honourable member to the answer given to PQ 4457 on 9th July 2015.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 12/10/2015 15:44:45 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419570

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Abortion: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she plans to bring forward proposals to reform the law on abortion in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10661
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>Any proposal to reform the law on abortion in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is also for the Northern Ireland Executive to determine what support women receive to travel to Great Britain to have an abortion. Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office have received no recent representations on the purchasing of abortion medication on the internet.</p> answering member constituency Wyre and Preston North answering member printed Mr Ben Wallace grouped question UIN 10631 10632 question first answered 12/10/2015 14:32:29 answering member 1539 label Biography information for Mr Ben Wallace
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419571

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Abortion: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking to support women in Northern Ireland who cannot travel to Great Britain to have an abortion due to lack of money, lack of support or immigration issues.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10631
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>Any proposal to reform the law on abortion in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is also for the Northern Ireland Executive to determine what support women receive to travel to Great Britain to have an abortion. Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office have received no recent representations on the purchasing of abortion medication on the internet.</p> answering member constituency Wyre and Preston North answering member printed Mr Ben Wallace grouped question UIN 10632 10661 question first answered 12/10/2015 14:32:29 answering member 1539 label Biography information for Mr Ben Wallace
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419572

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Abortion: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what her policy is on the purchasing of abortion medication on the internet; and what recent representations she has received on this subject.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>Any proposal to reform the law on abortion in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is also for the Northern Ireland Executive to determine what support women receive to travel to Great Britain to have an abortion. Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office have received no recent representations on the purchasing of abortion medication on the internet.</p> answering member constituency Wyre and Preston North answering member printed Mr Ben Wallace grouped question UIN 10631 10661 question first answered 12/10/2015 14:32:29 answering member 1539 label Biography information for Mr Ben Wallace
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419573

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Females: Crimes of Violence
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to eradicate violence against women and girls.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10595
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The United Kingdom has some of the strongest protections in the world to safeguard women and girls and the Government is wholly committed to protecting women and girls from violence and supporting victims and survivors. Over the course of the previous Parliament our achievements included:</p><p>• making domestic abuse an offence to capture controlling and coercive behaviour;</p><p>• rolling out Domestic Violence Protection Orders and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme nationally;</p><p>• criminalising forced marriage;</p><p>• introducing new stalking laws;</p><p>• criminalisation of realistic depictions of rape and revenge pornography;</p><p>• strengthening the law on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), including mandatory reporting; and</p><p>• introducing new civil orders to manage sex offenders and FGM protection orders.</p><p>This Government will build on those achievements by doing more to intervene earlier in the abuse cycle including doing more to deter and rehabilitate perpetrators, as well as to continue to improve protection for victims and to bring offenders to justice. We recognise the importance of specialist services and will work with local authorities, the NHS and Police and Crime Commissioners to ensure a secure future for specialist Female Genital Mutilation and forced marriage units, refuges and rape support centres. The work will be set out in a refreshed version of the previous Government’s strategy, A Call to End Violence against Women and Girls, which will be published later this year.</p><p>The previous Government ring-fenced £40 million (£10 million per year) for services and helplines supporting women and girls who have suffered abuse. This Government has committed to continuing that funding to April 2016 and has provided an additional funding for this period: £10 million for refuges, a £3 million fund to boost the provision of domestic violence services including refuges and an uplift of £7 million for victims of sexual violence and child sexual abuse.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 12/10/2015 14:25:24 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419794

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2015
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Arms Trade: Exports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the Government continuing to sign off arms export licenses for those countries identified as a cause for concern by the Committees on Arms Export Controls and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10798
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government takes its export responsibilities very seriously and aims to operate one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. Government policy is enshrined in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria. We rigorously examine every application on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated Criteria and will only issue an export licence where to do so would be consistent with these criteria.</p><p>We undertake appropriate checks using both open and other sources when considering licence applications. To ensure a comprehensive and consistent approach, this will involve Desk and Post in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and relevant experts from other Departments.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 15/10/2015 15:42:23 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419971

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Energy: Subsidies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the consistency of its policies on subsidies for renewable energy and for fossil fuels with current and proposed international climate change targets.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10799
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>This Government remains committed to meeting the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80%, on 1990 levels, by 2050. This remains in line with our contribution to the international effort to limit global warming to below 2 degrees.</p><p>We, also, continue to make progress towards our EU 2020 Renewable Target with provisional figures showing that 7.0% of final energy consumption was met from renewable sources in 2014. We are also on track to meet our EU 2020 energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.</p><p>We continue to support the deployment of renewable energy in our future energy mix:</p><ul><li>Electricity: The introduction of Contracts for Difference will give companies long term revenue certainty whilst driving down the cost for consumers through competition.</li><li>Heat: Under existing renewable heat schemes, the Government has supported around 40,000 homes and 12,000 businesses, schools, farms and other organisations with new renewable heating systems.</li><li>Transport: The Government is investing £500million over the next 5 years in making ultra-low emission vehicles more accessible to families and businesses across the country.</li></ul><p>It is vital to ensure security of supply and that the lights stay on, therefore fossil fuels will continue to play an important part in our future energy mix. The 2012 Carbon Plan noted that we will still need significant oil and gas supplies while we decarbonise our economy and transition to a low carbon economy, with projections showing that in 2030 oil and gas will remain a vital part of the energy mix, providing around 70% of the UK’s primary energy requirements.</p><p>The Government is seeking an ambitious, legally binding,global climate change deal in Paris in December that keeps the goal of limiting average global emissions to limit global warming to below 2 degrees within reach.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 16/10/2015 14:00:31 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419972

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Energy: Buildings
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make it her policy to commit her Department to a long-term energy efficiency programme for buildings including the provision of solid wall insulation during this Parliament in line with the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change set out in its 2015 Progress Report to Parliament.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10796
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government is committed to working closely with industry and consumer groups on a new value for money approach to the future policy framework for energy efficiency, learning lessons from past approaches. Alongside its specific manifesto commitment of supporting low cost measures on energy efficiency with the goal of insulating a million more homes over the next five years, supporting our commitment to tackle fuel poverty, this Government is also committed to keeping energy bills as low as possible as part of a long-term, coherent and affordable policy framework. That framework, which will take full account of our legally binding commitments on climate change and on fuel poverty, will focus on enabling consumers to take up the measures that are right for them and their home, whether solid wall insulation or other measures. We are soon to see Peter Hansford’s Review on Solid Wall Insulation for the Green Construction Board and that will help inform policy affecting the technology as will the recommendations from the Committee on Climate Change.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 14/10/2015 14:54:23 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

419973

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on jobs and income in the solar power industry of the recent change in policy on subsidies for that industry.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	10797
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>BIS’s report “The Size and Performance of the UK Low Carbon Economy” estimated that in 2013 there were over 34,000 jobs in the UK solar sector.</p><p>Our consultation on the feed-in tariff review reflects the need to balance sector support whilst keeping bills down for consumers.</p><p>We strongly welcome evidence from the sector during this review consultation, which ends on 23 October.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 14/10/2015 14:47:37 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

421080

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	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	Yemen: Military Intervention
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2015 to Question 6862 on Yemen: armed conflict, whether it remains the case that the UK Government has seen no credible evidence that the Saudi-led coalition has breached international humanitarian law in its campaign in Yemen.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	11580
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>We are aware of reports on alleged violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) by all sides to the conflict in Yemen, and take them very seriously. We have raised our concerns over alleged IHL violations with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the Coalition, and in return have received repeated assurances of their compliance. We have also raised our concerns over alleged IHL and international human rights law violations by the Houthis, and again stressed the importance of compliance.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 20/10/2015 14:39:52 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

421139

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Syria
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications made by Syrian nationals in each of the last three years were refused on the grounds that the applicant could be returned to a safe third country.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	11523
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2015 answer text <p>In the last three years, the numbers of Syrian nationals (main applicants only) refused asylum on third country grounds were as follows:</p><p>26 in 2012</p><p>99 in 2013</p><p>66 in 2014</p><p>The Home Office publishes annual and quarterly data on asylum applications and initial decisions; this is available in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release.</p><p>A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics April – June 2015, is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 21/10/2015 15:37:50 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

421140

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) shortest, (b) longest and (c) mean period of time was for deciding applications for family reunion in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	11524
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2015 answer text <p>The minimum*, maximum and average processing times for family reunion visa applications are set out in the table below.</p><br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Endorsement</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Average processing time</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Minimum processing time</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Maximum processing times</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="21"><p>FAMILY REUNION</p></td><td><p>2010 Q2</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>541</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010 Q3</p></td><td><p>47</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>589</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010 Q4</p></td><td><p>39</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>570</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011 Q1</p></td><td><p>37</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>416</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011 Q2</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>777</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011 Q3</p></td><td><p>49</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011 Q4</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>456</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012 Q1</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>331</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012 Q2</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>320</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012 Q3</p></td><td><p>52</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>490</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012 Q4</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>321</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013 Q1</p></td><td><p>44</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>360</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013 Q2</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>314</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013 Q3</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1184</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013 Q4</p></td><td><p>44</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>226</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014 Q1</p></td><td><p>43</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>330</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014 Q2</p></td><td><p>41</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>286</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014 Q3</p></td><td><p>38</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>419</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014 Q4</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>543</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015 Q1</p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>357</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015 Q2</p></td><td><p>44</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>178</p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>*Minimum processing times: The cases taking zero days to process were mainly those where a decision on the main applicant was taken on the same day as a newly dependant child’s application, where the child’s application was added to the Home Office caseworking system on the day of that decision. (e.g. where the child is born after the main applicant has submitted a visa application and a decision is also required on the child).</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 22/10/2015 15:26:59 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

421141

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration: Syria
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for family reunion made by Syrian nationals have been (a) received, (b) decided, (c) granted and (d) refused in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	11525
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2015 answer text <p>The numbers of applications for family reunion visas from Syrian nationals received, decided, granted and refused in each of the last five years is set out in the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>ReportYear</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Applications</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Issued</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Refused</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Withdrawn</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Lapsed</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>44</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>56</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>250</p></td><td><p>134</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>930</p></td><td><p>619</p></td><td><p>64</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>1172</p></td><td><p>980</p></td><td><p>209</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>Source: PRAU 14.10.15</p><p>Footnote: Applications may be decided in subsequent periods and therefore do not equal the total of issued, refusals, withdrawn and lapsed. For example some applications in 2014 may be decided in 2015.’</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 21/10/2015 16:02:25 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

421142

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Deportation: Syria
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Syrian nationals have been returned to third countries under the Dublin Regulations in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	11526
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2015 answer text <p>The number of Syrian nationals transferred to third countries because those States are responsible for examining their asylum claims under the Dublin Convention and the later Dublin II and Dublin III Regulations, is shown in the table below.</p><p>Year Transfers</p><p>2012 22</p><p>2013 35</p><p>2014 25</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 21/10/2015 15:54:52 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

421143

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	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	Refugees: National Insurance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the number of people who do not receive a national insurance number within 28 days of being granted refugee status.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	11528
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>No assessment has been made of the number of people who do not receive a National Insurance number (NINo) within 28 days of being granted refugee status.</p><p>For those granted leave to remain as a result of a successful asylum claim, a joint fast track NINo application process operates between DWP and the Home Office. This process is applicable to the principal family member and the NINo is allocated 2 days after the receipt of the application; this process has been in place since 2005.</p><p>The current year to date processing time for all NINo applications is 11.3 days.</p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 19/10/2015 13:24:41 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

421149

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Visas: Syria
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many transit visas for Syrian nationals have been (a) granted and (b) refused in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	11527
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2015 answer text <p>The information requested is shown in the attached table.</p><br /><p>The latest quarterly Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visas are published in ‘Immigration Statistics, April-June 2015’, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 22/10/2015 16:32:40 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire attachment 1 file name Table for PQ 11527.xlsx title Transit visa applications Syrian Nationals
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

421153

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Detention Centres
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons her Department did not renew the Choices contract in detention centres; and what assessment the Government has made of the effect of that decision on the number of people in detention taking up voluntary return and being removed from the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	11581
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2015 answer text <p>Additional packages of assistance for those detained pending removal to depart the UK were stopped in March 2014. This reflects the need for those who are here illegally to make a voluntary return at the earliest stage. This should occur before enforcement action and detention is required. Since this change, the overall number of illegal migrants whose voluntary departure is facilitated by the Home Office and its partners has continued to increase.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 22/10/2015 16:34:04 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

423016

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Gender
	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 at UN summits to ensure strong commitments are made to eradicating gender inequality.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	12840
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2015 answer text <p>Promoting the rights of girls and women is a top priority for my Department, including at UN Summits. The UK was a leading voice in international negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for a strong stand-alone goal on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, as well as gender-sensitive targets throughout the SDG framework.</p><br /><p>My Department and I will continue to make every effort to push for gender equality at other global events, such as the African Union Girl Summit in November 2015 and the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2016.</p><br /> answering member constituency Putney answering member printed Justine Greening question first answered 28/10/2015 14:03:10 answering member 1555 label Biography information for Justine Greening
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

423021

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Ministry of Justice: Procurement
	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 ensure the value for money of its contracts with the private sector.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	12770
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2015 answer text <p>As part of improving the MoJ’s overall commercial capability a Contract Management Improvement Programme has been running across the department since early 2014, in order to implement and embed best practices in contract management. As part of this programme we have established new governance committees to strengthen our assurance of major contracts.</p><p>We have also renegotiated or retendered a number of our significant contracts to improve value for money from our private sector contractors.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 29/10/2015 15:29:42 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

424868

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2015
	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	Homelessness
	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 his Department has made to ensure that the homelessness prevention grant is being used effectively.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	14099
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2015 answer text <p>We have made available over £500 million to local authorities and the voluntary sector to tackle homelessness and since 2010 this has helped local authorities to prevent 935,800 households from becoming homeless.</p><p>Since 2010, local councils have had more flexibility over how they spend the money they receive from central government.</p><p>The allocation of Homeless Prevention Grant has developed over many years to take account of different kinds of pressures, including rough sleeping and statutory homelessness. We supported the establishment of the National Practitioner Support Service’s ‘Gold Standard’ programme to help improve the effectiveness of local authority homelessness prevention services.</p><p>Decisions on funding beyond 2015/2016 will be subject to the forthcoming spending review.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones grouped question UIN 14097 14098 question first answered 11/11/2015 16:44:49 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

424869

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2015
	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	Homelessness
	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 his Department has taken to allocate the homelessness prevention grant in proportion to the level of need in each local authority.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	14097
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2015 answer text <p>We have made available over £500 million to local authorities and the voluntary sector to tackle homelessness and since 2010 this has helped local authorities to prevent 935,800 households from becoming homeless.</p><p>Since 2010, local councils have had more flexibility over how they spend the money they receive from central government.</p><p>The allocation of Homeless Prevention Grant has developed over many years to take account of different kinds of pressures, including rough sleeping and statutory homelessness. We supported the establishment of the National Practitioner Support Service’s ‘Gold Standard’ programme to help improve the effectiveness of local authority homelessness prevention services.</p><p>Decisions on funding beyond 2015/2016 will be subject to the forthcoming spending review.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones grouped question UIN 14098 14099 question first answered 11/11/2015 16:44:48 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

424870

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2015
	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	Homelessness
	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 his Department has taken to safeguard the size of the homelessness prevention grant in the period up to the 2020 spending review.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	14098
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2015 answer text <p>We have made available over £500 million to local authorities and the voluntary sector to tackle homelessness and since 2010 this has helped local authorities to prevent 935,800 households from becoming homeless.</p><p>Since 2010, local councils have had more flexibility over how they spend the money they receive from central government.</p><p>The allocation of Homeless Prevention Grant has developed over many years to take account of different kinds of pressures, including rough sleeping and statutory homelessness. We supported the establishment of the National Practitioner Support Service’s ‘Gold Standard’ programme to help improve the effectiveness of local authority homelessness prevention services.</p><p>Decisions on funding beyond 2015/2016 will be subject to the forthcoming spending review.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones grouped question UIN 14097 14099 question first answered 11/11/2015 16:44:48 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

424882

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2015
	answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Broadband: Bristol West
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to improve the broadband speed in the Bristol West area.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	14100
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2015 answer text <p>Over 1,450 businesses in Bristol and the surrounding area have taken a broadband connection voucher to improve their broadband connectivity. In addition, through the Super Connected Cities Programme, my Department has provided £1.56m to Bristol City Council to install general purpose ducting which will provide broadband connectivity to businesses in the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone. This funding has also enabled over 70km of ducting to be made available to two commercial suppliers to provide ultra-fast broadband across the city.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 12/11/2015 16:38:41 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

424904

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2015
	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	Timber: Imports
	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 the Government is taking to prevent illegal timber entering Europe.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	14056
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2015 answer text <p>Defra is committed to tackling the trade in illegal timber. We implemented the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which makes it an offence to place illegally logged timber on the EU market for the first time, and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation, which aims to combat illegal logging and improve the supply of legal timber to the EU. The EU FLEGT Regulation establishes Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and timber producing countries. Once VPAs have been agreed, timber producing countries will issue exports with a ‘FLEGT licence’ which verifies the timber’s legality.</p><p>The Government’s Timber Procurement Policy also requires Government Departments, Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies to procure timber and timber products that are both legal and sustainable.</p><p>Domestic forests provide about 20% of the UK’s timber needs. They are managed in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard, the reference standard for sustainable forest management in the UK. Moreover, about 85% of UK timber production is independently certified, providing additional assurances of sustainability. We are strongly supportive of initiatives such as Grown in Britain, which create new sustainably managed woodland to increase the supply of British timber destined for use by local people and businesses. Timber and wood products labelled with the Grown in Britain logo are from trees and forests assured as compliant with the UK Forestry Standard.</p><p>I welcome the fact that UK companies and other bodies are making similar commitments to trade in both legal and sustainable timber by signing up to WWF’s Forest Campaign.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 14101 question first answered 04/11/2015 09:14:25 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

424905

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2015
	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	Timber: Sustainable Development
	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 her Department is taking to help achieve a 100 per cent legal and sustainable timber trade in the UK by 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	14101
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2015 answer text <p>Defra is committed to tackling the trade in illegal timber. We implemented the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which makes it an offence to place illegally logged timber on the EU market for the first time, and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation, which aims to combat illegal logging and improve the supply of legal timber to the EU. The EU FLEGT Regulation establishes Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and timber producing countries. Once VPAs have been agreed, timber producing countries will issue exports with a ‘FLEGT licence’ which verifies the timber’s legality.</p><p>The Government’s Timber Procurement Policy also requires Government Departments, Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies to procure timber and timber products that are both legal and sustainable.</p><p>Domestic forests provide about 20% of the UK’s timber needs. They are managed in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard, the reference standard for sustainable forest management in the UK. Moreover, about 85% of UK timber production is independently certified, providing additional assurances of sustainability. We are strongly supportive of initiatives such as Grown in Britain, which create new sustainably managed woodland to increase the supply of British timber destined for use by local people and businesses. Timber and wood products labelled with the Grown in Britain logo are from trees and forests assured as compliant with the UK Forestry Standard.</p><p>I welcome the fact that UK companies and other bodies are making similar commitments to trade in both legal and sustainable timber by signing up to WWF’s Forest Campaign.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 14056 question first answered 04/11/2015 09:14:25 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

427529

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2015
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Taxation: International Cooperation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support international efforts to improve tax transparency and accountability.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	15968
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2015 answer text <p>A major focus of the UK’s G8 Presidency was tax transparency and combatting offshore tax evasion. As part of this the UK promoted the development of a new global standard for reciprocal automatic exchange of financial account information in order to effectively tackle the global problem of tax evasion. Due in large part to the UK’s leadership, over 90 countries and jurisdictions have now committed to the new global standard – known as the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) – and will begin automatically exchanging information under the standard by 2017 or 2018. The receipt of large amounts of information on offshore accounts under the CRS will mark a step change in HMRC’s ability to crack down on tax evasion.</p><br /><p>During our G8 Presidency, we also drove forward the international work on country-by-country reporting (CBCR), calling on the OECD to develop a template for CBCR reporting as part of the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project. The OECD template is aimed at providing tax authorities with information on the global allocation of profits and taxes paid and accrued by multinationals, as well as indicators of economic activity in each country. The UK was one of the first countries to commit to implementing the OECD template for CBCR with legislation in the Finance Act 2015.</p><br /><p>The final package of measures developed under the BEPS project was published by the OECD on 5 October 2015, and endorsed by G20 Finance Ministers at their meeting on 8 October and the G20 Leaders at their summit on 15-16 November. The UK welcomes the outcomes of the BEPS project and will give full consideration to the OECD’s recommendations.</p><br /><p>In addition, the UK has actively supported the revision of the Directive on Administrative Cooperation, to ensure the effective exchange of information about cross-border tax rulings between EU Member States. This directive was agreed in October 2015, and will come into force from 1<sup>st</sup> of January 2017.</p><br /> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 20/11/2015 12:53:13 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

427606

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Fracking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department has taken to assess the impact of hydraulic fracturing in (a) national parks and (b) other environmentally sensitive areas.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	15971
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2015 answer text <p>The Government issued guidance on its planning policy on unconventional hydrocarbon development in National Parks, the Broads, AONBs and World Heritage Sites in July 2014, which clearly sets out the high level of protection accorded to these areas in respect to development.1</p><br /><p>In addition, in July 2015 the Government laid draft regulations that define protected areas in which hydraulic fracturing will be prohibited. These regulations ensure that the process of high volume hydraulic fracturing cannot take place at depths above 1200 metres in National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, World Heritage Sites and areas that are most vulnerable to groundwater pollution.2</p><br /><p>We have also separately committed to ensuring that fracking cannot be conducted from wells that are drilled in the UK’s most valuable areas and are minded to apply these in Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar and Natura 2000 sites, as well as the areas covered by the draft Protected Areas regulations.3</p><br /><p><em><strong>[1]</strong></em><em><a href="http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/minerals/planning-for-hydrocarbon-extraction/determining-the-planning-application/" target="_blank">http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/minerals/planning-for-hydrocarbon-extraction/determining-the-planning-application/</a></em></p><p><em>2]</em><em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-defines-protected-areas-for-shale-developments" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-defines-protected-areas-for-shale-developments</a></em></p><p><em>[3]</em><em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-licensing-rounds#surface-development-restrictions" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-licensing-rounds#surface-development-restrictions</a></em></p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 16/11/2015 15:25:42 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

427675

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2015
	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	Central African Republic: Armed Conflict
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the conflict in Central African Republic.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	15967
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2015 answer text <p>The UK’s focus in the Central African Republic is on working with the international community to improve security throughout the country. We support the Transitional Authorities in their preparation for elections, and assist with justice, governance and state administration. The UK co-sponsored a UN Security Council Resolution authorising the deployment of a UN Peacekeeping Operation, MINUSCA, which launched in September 2014. The operation is focussing on restoring stability, preventing human rights abuses, and promoting reconciliation. The UK has also supported the EU Military Advisory Mission to the Central African Republic which launched in March 2015. The mission provides the government of the Central African Republic with expert advice on security sector reform. In addition, the UK co-funded the African Union’s 2014 deployment of experts to the Central African Republic to support victims of sexual violence.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 20/11/2015 13:24:49 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

427676

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2015
	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	India: Minority Groups
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise the issue of minority rights during the visit of Prime Minister Modi of India; and if he will specifically raise (a) Sikh political prisoners in India and (b) the case of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	15966
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2015 answer text <p>Human rights were discussed during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United Kingdom. We welcome his reaffirmation that he governs for all Indians. The British High Commission in India regularly discusses the treatment of minorities, including the Sikh community, with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and with state governments across India. I also personally raised the issue of religious minorities with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, General V K Singh on 5 November. Relations between the Sikh community in India and the Indian government are ultimately an internal matter, but we encourage both parties to resolve their differences through dialogue.</p><p>Although India’s Supreme Court partially lifted its suspension on the premature release of life prisoners by state governments on 23 July, the Court ruled that this would not apply to those cases which were investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI); central agencies or under federal law. This ruling applies to all cases regardless of the perpetrator’s ethnic identity. Specific issues of sentencing are a matter for the Indian authorities and we cannot interfere in their judicial system.</p><p>We are aware of Surat Singh Khalsa’s hunger strike and continue to monitor developments, including Mr Singh Khalsa’s health.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 20/11/2015 13:56:18 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

427703

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2015
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Junior Doctors: Conditions of Employment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the new junior doctors' contract on patients' safety.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	15970
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2015 answer text <p>The proposals are to introduce a safer, fairer contract for junior doctors that will help improve their training experience to better support patient care every day of the week.</p><p>Our ambition for the National Health Service to be the safest healthcare system in the world is underpinned by reducing, not increasing, the number of hours junior doctors work each week. The new contract will include improved, legally (and contractually) enforceable safeguards - including that no junior doctor working full time will be expected to work on average more than 48 hours a week, unless they opt-out of the European Working Time Directive in which case it is maximum of an average 56 hours a week. The number of hours that can be worked in any single week by any junior will be limited to 72 (down from 91 currently) and there will be a limit of five consecutive long days or four consecutive nights.</p><p>We will also bring the working hours and service delivery of junior doctors within the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection regime. Putting patients first is the responsibility of employers and staff. Juniors must feel confident that when they raise safety concerns they are listened to. Where doctors are asked to work in conditions that they believe are unsafe, including being asked to work patterns that put patient safety at risk, they will be asked to use the reporting mechanisms available to them (including alerting their line managers/clinical supervisors, reporting through the local incident reporting system which will upload to the National Reporting and Learning System) to raise the issue with both the board of their trust, and reporting data will be available for the CQC to use during inspections. We would expect trust boards to look at any such report and decide how to respond to it; and we would expect the CQC, when it carries out an inspection, to look at how the board has responded to this and other data reporting safety incidents and concerns.</p> answering member constituency Ipswich answering member printed Ben Gummer question first answered 18/11/2015 10:02:52 answering member 3988 label Biography information for Ben Gummer
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

427792

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Malnutrition
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to support the eradication of malnutrition.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	16005
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2015 answer text <p>The Government has made a commitment to improve the nutrition of 50 million people by 2020. Those being helped include children under five, breastfeeding women, women of childbearing age and adolescent girls. This builds on an earlier commitment to help children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women, through which 28.5 million people had been reached by mid-2015.</p><br /><p>DFID support is focused on the following objectives: greater coverage of nutrition-specific programmes; leverage more nutrition outcomes from other programmes like agriculture, social protection, education, health and water and sanitation; contribute to new solutions to undernutrition; and a more effective international response.</p><br /> answering member constituency Welwyn Hatfield answering member printed Grant Shapps question first answered 19/11/2015 13:07:59 answering member 1582 label Biography information for Grant Shapps
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

427856

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2015
	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	Employment and Support Allowance: Cancer
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to mitigate the effect of changes in employment and support allowance for those diagnosed with cancer who have been placed in the Work-Related Activity Group.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	15969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2015 answer text <p>No existing claimants, including those diagnosed with cancer, will be affected by the change to the work-related activity component and we have already committed to providing £60m a year from 2016/17, rising to £100m a year by 2020/21 in new, practical support for claimants with limited capability for work to help them move closer to the labour market and, when they are ready, into work.</p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 17/11/2015 14:40:54 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

428666

	registered interest
	date	17/11/2015
	answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept id	63
	answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
	answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
	hansard heading	Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department has received evidence on the effect of the feed-in tariff review on jobs in the solar industry.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	16547
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2015 answer text <p>We have received nearly 55,000 responses to the consultation. We currently estimate that just over 2,600 are unique and detailed responses; the rest are briefer and more uniform responses, generated by campaigns. We are currently analysing feedback submitted during the consultation and intend to publish a Government response as soon as possible.</p><p><br></p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 25/11/2015 14:36:57 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

428771

	registered interest
	date	17/11/2015
	answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	BBC
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that public opinion is taken into account in its input to the BBC Charter review.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	16633
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2015 answer text <p>A public consultation which began on Thursday 16 July and closed on 8 October received in excess of 190,000 responses. We are now in the process of analysing these responses.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 23/11/2015 09:20:18 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

436672

	registered interest
	date	09/12/2015
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
	hansard heading	Mortgages: Interest Rates
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy that the changes to interest rate relief on buy-to-let mortgages announced in the Summer Budget 2015 apply to purchasers within a limited company structure.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	19312
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2015 answer text <p>The restriction to finance cost relief brings the rate of relief available for individual landlords more in line with that of corporate landlords.</p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 16/12/2015 16:33:04 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

436749

	registered interest
	date	09/12/2015
	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 Welfare: Sentencing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review sentencing guidelines for serious animal cruelty offences to ensure that the gravity of offences is adequately reflected.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	19321
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2015 answer text <p>Guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council. The Council monitor the operation of their guidelines, which ensure that sentences are consistent and proportionate. We understand the Council has no immediate plans to revise the guidelines.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 15/12/2015 09:45:27 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

438220

	registered interest
	date	14/12/2015
	answering body	Leader of the House
	answering dept id	34
	answering dept short name	Leader of the House
	answering dept sort name	Leader of the House
	hansard heading	Private Members' Bills
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Leader of the House, what plans he has to reform timetabling of private members' bills; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	19768
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2015 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to change the timetabling of private members' bills.</p> answering member constituency Epsom and Ewell answering member printed Chris Grayling question first answered 17/12/2015 15:55:46 answering member 1413 label Biography information for Chris Grayling
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

442238

	registered interest
	date	04/01/2016
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Typhoon Aircraft: Saudi Arabia
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which export licences since 2008 relate to BAE Systems' Eurofighter Typhoon sales to Saudi Arabia; how much each such licence was for; whether each such licence is extant or has expired; and whether each such licence was used in full or in part.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	20839
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2016 answer text <p>Since 2008 six licences have been granted that relate to the sale of complete Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to Saudi Arabia. Four of these licences are linked. Where licences expired before they were fully exhausted the exporter submitted a new application to cover those aircraft not exported under previous licences. The values therefore relate to exports licensed rather than actual exports.</p><br /><p>Typhoon transfers per year are declared in the UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Reports and can be found on GOV.UK</p><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Value of Licence(s)</p></td><td><p>Licence Extant or Expired?</p></td><td><p>Licence used in full or in part</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><br> 2009</p></td><td><p><br> £1,476,666,648</p></td><td><p><br> Expired</p></td><td><p><br> Used in part</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>£1,555,833,315</p></td><td><p>Expired</p></td><td><p>Used in part</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>£129,652,776</p></td><td><p>Expired</p></td><td><p>Used in full</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>£1,564,666,650</p></td><td><p>Expired</p></td><td><p>Used in part</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015 2015</p></td><td><p>£1,564,666,650 £129,652,776</p></td><td><p>Extant Extant</p></td><td><p>Used in part Used in part</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><br></p></td><td><p><br></p></td><td><p><br></p></td><td><p><br></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 12/01/2016 16:48:54 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

443972

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2016
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Sunbeds
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will introduce a ban on unstaffed tanning salons in England similar to that introduced in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	21743
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2016 answer text <p>The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 came into force on 8 April 2011 in England and Wales and the purpose of the Act is to prevent people under the age of 18 from using sunbeds on commercial premises, by making it an offence for sunbed businesses to allow people access under the age of 18 to sunbeds on their premises.</p><br /><p>Local authorities are responsible for enforcement of the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010. Authorised officers have the right to enter premises believed to be sunbed businesses to carry out inspections, whether in response to a complaint or to check awareness and compliance with the Act. Some local authorities require sunbed outlets to operate under license.</p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 19/01/2016 16:20:25 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

443973

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2016
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Teachers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of (a) morale in the teaching profession, (b) long-term prospects for teacher recruitment and retention and (c) the potential effect of increases in pupil numbers on (i) morale and (ii) recruitment and retention in that profession.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	21741
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2016 answer text <p>Teaching continues to be a popular career choice. The Government is working with the profession to raise the status of teaching and is attracting the brightest and best to a career in the classroom, with the result that record numbers of highly-qualified graduates and experienced career changes are now teaching in schools.</p><p>On retention, latest statistics (School Workforce Census, November 2014) show that teacher retention one year after qualifying has remained stable, at around 90 per cent, for the past two decades. In addition, 72 per cent of those who qualified in 2009 were still in teaching five years later and the long-term retention rate is also stable, with over 60 per cent of teachers remaining in the classroom 10 years after qualifying.</p><p>The Department for Education is continually working to grow a strong pipeline of teachers and has developed a package of measures to support both the recruitment of new trainees (who account for around a half of all new entrants to the state-funded sector each year) and the retention of existing teachers.</p><p>Latest figures show there are a record number of teachers, with a record number coming back to the profession. The Initial Teacher Training census, published in November 2015, shows that three per cent more people started postgraduate teacher training than in the previous year. We recognise, however, that as the economy improves and the labour market strengthens, teacher recruitment is becoming increasingly challenging for some schools – particularly in some areas of the country and in some shortage subjects. That is why we are offering a range of bursaries and scholarships worth up to £30,000 tax-free to trainees in 2016/17. In addition, we are launching the National Teacher Service, as well as expanding the Teach First and School Direct programmes which will mean more great teachers in every corner of the country.</p><p>In terms of the long term recruitment of teachers, we use the Teacher Supply Model (TSM) to estimate Initial Teacher Training place requirements in England each year to meet the state-funded sector demand for qualified teachers. Forecasts are related to a range of factors including year-on-year pupil population growth rates, teacher leaving rates, and curriculum changes.</p><p>The 2016/17 version of the TSM, which was used to inform the 2016/17 ITT recruitment process, along with a user guide explaining the methodology in detail, is available at the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-supply-model" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-supply-model</a></p><br /> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 19/01/2016 11:11:02 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

443974

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2016
	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	Cosmetics: Plastics
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will introduce a ban on plastic microbeads in cosmetic products similar to that introduced in the US.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	21742
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2016 answer text <p>The UK and neighbouring countries are working with industry to achieve a voluntary phase out of plastic microbeads in cosmetics and soaps.</p><p>The issue was discussed at the OSPAR Conference in 2014 and the cosmetics industry in Europe has committed to act.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 19/01/2016 15:53:11 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire