Northern Ireland Office<p>In January, I wrote to the Northern Ireland political parties to seek their views on moving to full transparency for Northern Ireland political donations and loans. I received a positive response from the parties. The introduction of increased transparency of donations to Northern Ireland parties was also a Conservative Manifesto commitment at the recent Parliamentary election. I will make a statement shortly on the steps needed to ensure that information relating to Northern Ireland political donations and loans can be published.</p>Old Bexley and SidcupJames Brokenshire2017-06-30false2017-06-30T13:32:28.137Z21Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland2017-06-21Political Parties: Northern Ireland1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will set out a timetable to introduce legislation ending the practice allowing anonymity for donations to political parties operating in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.falseNorth DownLady Hermon1Department for Work and Pensions<p>We recognise that this is a difficult and sensitive issue, and have set up procedures that are mindful of the sensitivities involved. To claim the exception the claimant will need to provide a completed pro-forma from an approved third party or evidence relating to either a relevant criminal conviction or relevant award of criminal injuries compensation. DWP staff will not question the claimant about the incident, they will only take the claim and receive the supporting documents. Claimants will be asked to confirm that they are not living with the other biological parent of the child during the process of providing evidence. They will not be asked to identify the alleged perpetrator.</p><p>Where a pro-forma is provided from a third party, DWP staff will check that the form is complete and verified by an approved third party. Where other evidence is provided this will be checked and returned to the claimant.</p><p>The decision regarding entitlement to the exception will be subject to the normal mandatory reconsideration and appeal process.</p><p>DWP will hold exception information for the duration of an open claim and then for 14 months after a claim is closed. This is in accordance with standard procedures and to ensure that the 14 month maximum appeal period for decisions is observed.</p><p>Where a claimant moves between Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit, the information with regard to the exception will be shared between DWP and HMRC to prevent the claimant from having to provide evidence for the exception a second time. A secure data transfer method has been set up to manage this process. In the case of an appeal, information will be shared with HMCTS to facilitate the appeal. This will be managed in line with data protection requirements.</p><p>Any disclosure request for information in relation to the exception would be considered in liaison with the prosecuting authority as appropriate, in accordance with procedures and practice applicable in the jurisdiction concerned and taking account of particular circumstances, including the relevance of the documents requested to the case and all applicable legal considerations including those relating to data protection.</p>East HampshireDamian Hinds2017-06-291112151722false2017-06-29T11:06:20.94Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2017-06-21Social Security Benefits: Children1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what evidence a claimant will have to provide to secure an exemption in relation to support for a child conceived without your consent.falseGlasgow CentralAlison Thewliss10Department for Transport<p>The part time and full time staff headcount at Baillieston Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) test centre, Glasgow in each year since 2007 is as follows:</p><p> </p><p>2007 – 3 part time, 10 full time</p><p>2008 – 4 part time, 9 full time</p><p>2009 – 4 part time, 8 full time</p><p>2010 – 3 part time, 9 full time</p><p>2011 – 4 part time, 10 full time</p><p>2012 – 6 part time, 8 full time</p><p>2013 – 7 part time, 7 full time</p><p>2014 – 4 part time, 7 full time</p><p>2015 – 8 part time, 5 full time</p><p>2016 – 5 part time, 7 full time</p>Hereford and South HerefordshireJesse Norman2017-06-27false2017-06-27T13:44:07.893Z27TransportTransport2017-06-21Driving Tests: Glasgow1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) part-time and (b) full-time staff headcount has been at Baillieston DVSA test centre, Glasgow in each year since 2007.falseGlasgow EastDavid Linden100Wales Office<p>The Welsh economy approaches its departure from the EU in a strong position. Such strength is demonstrated in Wales’s ability to attract globally recognised brands such as Aston Martin and Qatar Airways.</p><p> </p><p>As we leave the EU we are seeking to take advantage of all opportunities available to us. We want to ensure that Britain becomes a global leader in free trade, and Ministers and officials in DIT are working with counterparts in a range of markets to promote the UK, including Wales as a great place to do business and with which to trade.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Government is developing a trade policy that will work for every part of the United Kingdom, and will continue to champion the interests of companies and citizens across the UK, including in Wales.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p>Vale of GlamorganAlun Cairns2017-07-03false2017-07-03T10:00:58.203Z28WalesWales2017-06-23Trade Agreements: Wales1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he is taking to ensure that Wales is not adversely affected by trade deals negotiated when the UK leaves the EU.falseNewport WestPaul Flynn1000Department for Work and Pensions<p /> <p>The Universal Credit programme has hit, or is on target to achieve, all of the dates we set out in Autumn 2014.</p><p> </p><p>The number of people on benefits is driven by a range of factors.</p><p> </p><p>Because of this, the programme measures progress by the successful achievement of milestones of its delivery plan rather than targets for numbers of claimants.</p>WithamPriti Patel2015-09-16false2015-09-16T15:08:26.937Z29Work and PensionsWork and Pensions2015-09-11Universal Credit1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by when he plans for one million people to be in receipt of universal credit; and what steps he is taking to achieve this outcome.falseEast HamStephen Timms10000Department for Culture, Media and Sport<p>Current superfast broadband coverage is over 83% of UK premises and the Government remains committed to providing 95% coverage to homes and businesses by December 2017. Coverage of superfast broadband in England is 84% according to Ofcom’s Communications Market Report published in August 2015. The report can be found at: <a href="http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/cmr/cmr15/CMR_UK_2015.pdf" target="_blank">http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/cmr/cmr15/CMR_UK_2015.pdf</a></p><p><br>The Government has invested £9.69 million in the Northumberland project which aims to provide superfast broadband coverage to over 46,000 homes and businesses in the county. By the end of the Northumberland project, anticipated by December 2016, over 91% of premises are expected to have access to superfast broadband. As of 30 June 2015, 40,193 premises had access to superfast broadband as a result of the project.</p>WantageMr Edward Vaizey2015-09-16false2015-09-16T14:11:17.213Z10Culture, Media and SportCulture, Media and Sport2015-09-11Broadband1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the extent of superfast broadband coverage in (a) England and (b) Northumberland; and if he will make a statement.falseBerwick-upon-TweedMrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan10001Department for Culture, Media and Sport<p>The Government is considering whether to implement a broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) as one of a range of options for reaching the final 5% of the UK population who do not have access to broadband in order to ensure that no one gets left behind. No decisions have been taken at this stage.</p><p> </p><p>Any broadband USO would have to comply with the European Universal Service Directive. The Directive does not specify a speed other than to indicate that it should be set at a level that is available to and used by the majority.</p>WantageMr Edward Vaizey2015-09-1610003false2015-09-16T14:13:17.677Z10Culture, Media and SportCulture, Media and Sport2015-09-11Broadband1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to introduce a universal service obligation for superfast broadband coverage; and if he will make a statement.falseBerwick-upon-TweedMrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan10002Department for Culture, Media and Sport<p>The Government is considering whether to implement a broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) as one of a range of options for reaching the final 5% of the UK population who do not have access to broadband in order to ensure that no one gets left behind. No decisions have been taken at this stage.</p><p> </p><p>Any broadband USO would have to comply with the European Universal Service Directive. The Directive does not specify a speed other than to indicate that it should be set at a level that is available to and used by the majority.</p>WantageMr Edward Vaizey2015-09-1610002false2015-09-16T14:13:17.74Z10Culture, Media and SportCulture, Media and Sport2015-09-11Broadband1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to introduce a universal service obligation for broadband coverage; and if he will make a statement.falseBerwick-upon-TweedMrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan10003Department for Education<p>Ministers have considered the latest evidence on the effective deployment and professional development of teaching assistants, together with a summary of the call for evidence and the draft teaching assistant standards submitted by the expert panel.</p><p> </p><p>In the light of this evidence, the Government believes that schools are best placed to decide how they use and deploy teaching assistants, and to set standards for the teaching assistants they employ. The Secretary of State has therefore decided not to publish the draft standards.</p><p> </p>Bognor Regis and LittlehamptonNick Gibb2015-10-07falseBognor Regis and LittlehamptonNick Gibb2015-10-07T09:40:42.227Z60EducationEducation2015-09-11Classroom Assistants1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish the findings of her Department's review into the status and professionalism of teaching assistants announced in October 2014.falseCardiff WestKevin Brennan10004Department for Transport<p>We have not estimated the cost of constructing a link road to Leeds Bradford International Airport as this would be a local road and the relevant local authority would be responsible for developing a scheme proposal. The Government sponsored study into improving connectivity to Leeds Bradford International Airport used an estimate provided by Leeds City Council of £38m in 2012 prices.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Aviation Policy Framework published in March 2013 makes clear that developers should pay the costs of upgrading transport links where there is a need to cope with increased passenger numbers, but that a public funding contribution will be considered if the scheme has a wider range of beneficiaries. The relevant local authorities would therefore be responsible for assembling a funding package for a link road, in partnership with developers and other local stakeholders. Local Growth Funding could be used to provide a public sector contribution, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority is being provided with a contribution of up to £781m towards the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund between 2015/15 and 2034/35. The Fund has been set up to deliver transport improvements across West Yorkshire and York.</p><p> </p>Harrogate and KnaresboroughAndrew Jones2015-09-16false2015-09-16T11:27:13.907Z27TransportTransport2015-09-11Regional Airports1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July to Question 6770, what estimate he has made of the cost of a new link road; and from what sources funding for that link road will be provided.falseLeeds North WestGreg Mulholland10005100177037