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1643573

registered interest
date	12/06/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driving Tests
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the bulk purchasing of driving test slots.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	188875
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recognises there is a high demand for learners who are wanting to take their car practical driving test.</p><p> </p><p>The DVSA has a 24-week forward booking window and tests are not available to book beyond this. As the booking service is live, test appointments can also become available to book through other candidates cancelling, or rescheduling, their test.</p><p> </p><p>The DVSA is aware of apps or bots that constantly search its systems for driving test slots. The DVSA does not employ, encourage or licence anyone to provide such a cancellation service checking for newly open slots. These apps or bots are not approved by the DVSA as they make it harder for candidates to get a test and can result in people paying more for a test than the official test fee. Using such services also means that any changes to the test may not necessarily be relayed to the candidate.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure its booking system is used correctly, the DVSA has:</p><p>- stopped accepting new automatic online registrations to use its tests booking service – any new applications must be made by email, where they will be thoroughly checked by the DVSA.</p><p>- stopped accepting any new registrations from companies who do not directly employ a driving instructor.</p><p>- removed registrations not linked to driving instructors.</p><p>- reduced the number of times a driving test appointment can be changed from 10 to the pre-pandemic limit of 6 and updated the test booking service terms and conditions to make it clear that users must not book tests and sell them for profit.</p><p> </p><p>Users found breaching the terms and conditions may have their accounts closed.</p><p> </p><p>The DVSA is continuing to take steps to block cancellation services from accessing the booking system. This is having a positive impact. Following recent changes, there has been a significant drop in traffic to these services because the DVSA is successfully identifying and blocking apps or bots.</p><p> </p><p>The agency will also continue to inform candidates of the official channels for booking a test. The DVSA has taken measures to encourage learners to use the official booking site on GOV.UK by ensuring that it appears as high as possible on popular search engines and by promoting the official website on social media.</p><p> </p><p>As a result of the measures already taken by the DVSA, overall, since April 2021, approximately 900,000 additional car test slots have been created. On average, the DVSA is creating around 37,000 extra car test slots each month.</p> answering member constituency North West Durham answering member printed Mr Richard Holden question first answered 14/06/2023 12:44:18 answering member 4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1643369

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents paying child maintenance claim Universal Credit; and how many of them are in paid employment as of June 2023.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	188707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The Department publishes quarterly Child Maintenance Service (CMS) statistics, with the latest statistics available to the end of December 2022, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-statistics-data-to-december-2022-experimental" target="_blank">here.</a></p><p> </p><p>Monthly statistics on ‘People on Universal Credit’ including an employment indicator are available on StatXplore <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml" target="_blank">here.</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found <a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">here.</a></p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 14/06/2023 11:46:45 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1643370

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason has there been an increase in the number of separated families that do not have a child maintenance agreement in place.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	188708
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>Child Maintenance reforms aim to encourage co-operation and collaborative parenting between separated parents and to make their own family-based arrangements (FBAs) for child maintenance wherever possible. The statutory Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is available for those parents where they feel it is more appropriate for their circumstances.</p><p>We need to acknowledge that an arrangement is not appropriate for every separated family, and research shows around half of those parents with no arrangement do not want one.</p><p>Since the introduction of the 2012 reforms and the CMS, the number of separated families choosing to make FBAs has increased alongside the number with no arrangement. However, the number of separated families with no arrangement has continued to fall since the financial year ending 2017.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 14/06/2023 11:46:23 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1643371

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much money has the Child Maintenance Service received in collection fees from (a) paying and (b) receiving parents in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	188709
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>Income received from the Child Maintenance Service £20 Application fee for the last 5 years is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="3"><p><strong> </strong> <strong>Application Fee</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018/19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019/20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021/22</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1.510</p></td><td><p>0.972</p></td><td><p>0.749</p></td><td><p>0.610</p></td><td><p>0.703</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Application fees reduced due to the waiver introduced in cases of Domestic Abuse.</p><p> </p><p>Income received through collection charges for the last 5 years are:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Paying Parent </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018/19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019/20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021/22</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>20% Collection Charge</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>16.878</p></td><td><p>27.905</p></td><td><p>34.771</p></td><td><p>34.248</p></td><td><p>38.527</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Receiving Parent</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018/19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019/20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021/22</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>4% Collection Charge</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£m</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>3.241</p></td><td><p>5.430</p></td><td><p>6.767</p></td><td><p>6.695</p></td><td><p>7.494</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 14/06/2023 11:44:43 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1643372

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of trends in the level of child maintenance arrears from parents that pay through the Direct Pay system.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	188710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) always encourages paying parents to pay their maintenance on time, in order to avoid accrual of arrears. Where a paying parent fails to pay on time or in full, it aims to take immediate action to recover the debt and re-establish compliance.</p><p> </p><p>Our strategy is to tackle breakdowns at the earliest opportunity and use preferred Method of Payments (Deductions of Earnings Orders/Direct Debits) which achieve a higher rate of compliance, whilst agreeing more sustainable ongoing payments.</p><p> </p><p>The CMS work with parents to provide affordable payment plans that keep maintenance flowing, offering due consideration to fluctuations in earnings and a significant proportion of Paying Parents who are on lower incomes.</p><p> </p><p>The CMS has a relatively low percentage of unpaid maintenance. Only 8% of the total maintenance due to be paid since the start of the CMS remains to be collected through Collect &amp; Pay. This was as high as 17% in March 2015.</p><p> </p><p>The CMS do not hesitate to step in and move a case to collect &amp; pay as soon as they are notified payments are not being made.  Around 3% of direct pay arrangements move to collect and pay each quarter – a small percentage but this shows that parents can and do move to collect and pay to secure help in getting their child maintenance payments.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 14/06/2023 11:42:30 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1643374

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Immigration: Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been prosecuted and sentenced as adults under s24, s25 and s25A of the Immigration Act 1971 and have subsequently been accepted to be children in each of the last 24 months.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C McDonald
uin	188727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice publishes information on prosecutions and sentence outcomes for defendants of different ages in the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1158218/outcomes-by-offence-2022.xlsx" target="_blank">Outcomes by Offence data tool: December 2022</a>, including offences under section 24, 25 and 25A of the Immigration Act 1971 as set out in the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1157356/offence_group_classification2022.xls" target="_blank">Offence Group Classification</a>. The tool includes filtering by specific offences.</p><p>However, whether a defendant was subsequently found to be a child is not held centrally in the Court Proceedings Database and cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 14/06/2023 09:46:38 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

1643380

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Electric Bicycles: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983, what assessment he has made of the impact of the requirement that the electric motors of such cycles must have a maximum power output of 250 watts on the ability of (a) cargo bikes and (b) adaptive disability bikes to operate safely and effectively on (i) hilly and (ii) other terrain.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	188681
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>The Department is aware that there may be benefits in increasing the continuous rated motor power for Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPC) particularly for e-cargo bikes and bikes adapted for people with disabilities. Any amendments would need to take account of how changes could affect the safety of the rider and other road users, including pedestrians.</p><p> </p><p>The Department most recently reviewed the case for amending the current power restrictions as part of the Future of Transport Regulatory Review Call for Evidence published in 2020. The summary of the Call for Evidence is available online, at: <a title="http://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence-on-micromobility-vehicles-flexible-bus-services-and-mobility-as-a-service" href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fconsultations%2Ffuture-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence-on-micromobility-vehicles-flexible-bus-services-and-mobility-as-a-service&amp;data=05%7C01%7CDominik.Lengauer%40dft.gov.uk%7C51ec9842cd8946d4b1a108db6c2a3964%7C28b782fb41e148eabfc3ad7558ce7136%7C0%7C0%7C638222700828527234%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=2jnWwq8zJfHlWrA0WSqMqeH0zYvnsolNTeR3S62p03A%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence-on-micromobility-vehicles-flexible-bus-services-and-mobility-as-a-service</a>. The matter was also considered as part of a call for evidence on last mile deliveries in 2018. The Government’s response to this consultation is available online, at: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fconsultations%2Fthe-last-mile-a-call-for-evidence&amp;data=05%7C01%7CDominik.Lengauer%40dft.gov.uk%7C51ec9842cd8946d4b1a108db6c2a3964%7C28b782fb41e148eabfc3ad7558ce7136%7C0%7C0%7C638222700828527234%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=20SopANxLnPmw16qOymbkHs%2BFanIba6IV0aCJCEjoXI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-last-mile-a-call-for-evidence</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Department will continue to keep the policy under review.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 188682 question first answered 14/06/2023 07:57:13 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1643381

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Electric Bicycles
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the maximum power output for electrically assisted pedal cycles used as (a) cargo bikes and (b) adaptive disability bikes while maintaining existing speed limits.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	188682
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>The Department is aware that there may be benefits in increasing the continuous rated motor power for Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPC) particularly for e-cargo bikes and bikes adapted for people with disabilities. Any amendments would need to take account of how changes could affect the safety of the rider and other road users, including pedestrians.</p><p> </p><p>The Department most recently reviewed the case for amending the current power restrictions as part of the Future of Transport Regulatory Review Call for Evidence published in 2020. The summary of the Call for Evidence is available online, at: <a title="http://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence-on-micromobility-vehicles-flexible-bus-services-and-mobility-as-a-service" href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fconsultations%2Ffuture-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence-on-micromobility-vehicles-flexible-bus-services-and-mobility-as-a-service&amp;data=05%7C01%7CDominik.Lengauer%40dft.gov.uk%7C51ec9842cd8946d4b1a108db6c2a3964%7C28b782fb41e148eabfc3ad7558ce7136%7C0%7C0%7C638222700828527234%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=2jnWwq8zJfHlWrA0WSqMqeH0zYvnsolNTeR3S62p03A%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence-on-micromobility-vehicles-flexible-bus-services-and-mobility-as-a-service</a>. The matter was also considered as part of a call for evidence on last mile deliveries in 2018. The Government’s response to this consultation is available online, at: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fconsultations%2Fthe-last-mile-a-call-for-evidence&amp;data=05%7C01%7CDominik.Lengauer%40dft.gov.uk%7C51ec9842cd8946d4b1a108db6c2a3964%7C28b782fb41e148eabfc3ad7558ce7136%7C0%7C0%7C638222700828527234%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=20SopANxLnPmw16qOymbkHs%2BFanIba6IV0aCJCEjoXI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-last-mile-a-call-for-evidence</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Department will continue to keep the policy under review.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 188681 question first answered 14/06/2023 07:57:13 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1643384

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Electric Bicycles: Climate Change
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of encouraging the use of electrically assisted pedal cycles in he final stages of deliveries on the Government’s ability to meet its climate targets.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	188683
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles are an important part of the Government’s ambition for active travel, including in relation to the support of last mile deliveries.</p><p>The Department has previously provided grant funding for organisations and local authorities to purchase e-cargo cycles. A report on the impact of this funding will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 14/06/2023 07:55:26 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1643389

registered interest
date	09/06/2023
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Metals: Recycling
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of the metals recycling sector on (a) potential barriers to the sector reaching net zero, (b) support for the sector to reach net zero and (c) the potential impact of the sector on the ability of other parts of the economy to reach net zero.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	188693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2023 answer text <p>The Department for Business and Trade has regular contact with the metals recycling sector and they have raised electrification of sites and access to hydrogen networks as potential barriers. The Government’s Electricity Networks Strategic Framework sets out a vision for the transformation of the electricity network, and the Government aims to respond to its consultation on hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure later this year.</p><p> </p><p>To support decarbonisation, the sector can apply to the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, the Programme of Research and Innovation for the UK Steel and Metals sector, and the SUSTAIN Future Manufacturing Research Hub.</p><p> </p><p>Metals recycling will play an important role in helping the domestic aluminium and steel sectors deliver net zero production, through the delivery of reduced residual scrap as a key feedstock.</p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 14/06/2023 12:55:50 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy