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1666723

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bus Services: Franchises
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to release the revised guidance on franchising as set out in the National Bus Strategy for England.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	203985
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>The Department is currently revising The Bus Services Act 2017 Franchising Scheme Guidance, originally published in November 2017. The revised guidance will provide simplified and updated advice on the franchising process for local bus services and is due to be published later this year.</p> answering member constituency North West Durham answering member printed Mr Richard Holden question first answered 25/10/2023 13:08:01 answering member 4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1666724

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bus Services: Vacancies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle high levels of bus and coach driver vacancies in England.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	203986
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Whilst it is the responsibility of the sector to recruit and retain drivers, the Department for Transport regularly engages with industry to understand issues in recruiting and retaining bus and coach drivers, and how Government can help. Latest intelligence from the sector suggests that the shortage has reduced over the course of this year.</p><p>The Department for Transport and Confederation of Passenger Transport co-chaired a Bus and Coach Summit in November 2022. The summit brought together experts from industry, national and local government to look at issues facing driver recruitment and retention to bus and coach operators, and identified ideas and actions to help address these. Many of these are owned by industry, who as aforementioned, are responsible for recruiting drivers.</p><p>We are also ensuring there is sufficient access to Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) practical driving tests, whether through the bus and coach industry’s network of delegated examiners, or directly through Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency test centres.</p> answering member constituency North West Durham answering member printed Mr Richard Holden question first answered 26/10/2023 10:10:47 answering member 4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1666728

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Electric Scooters: Pilot Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to renew e-scooter trials beyond May 2024.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	203987
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>No decision has been made on renewing the e-scooter trials beyond May 2024.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 26/10/2023 07:14:32 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1666730

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Future Mobility Zones Fund
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 effectiveness of the Future Mobility Zones Fund.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	203988
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The Department has made no assessment of the effectiveness of the Future Mobility Zones Fund. An external evaluation of Future Transport Zones (as the zones were renamed) has been commissioned and is still in progress.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 26/10/2023 07:17:51 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1666732

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Rapid Transit Systems: Leeds
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with (a) local authority leaders and (b) the Mayor of West Yorkshire on the Network North plans for the Leeds mass transit system to provide better connections to Wakefield.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	203989
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Since publication of the Network North paper, DfT ministers have spoken to a range of local MPs and local leaders, including the Mayor of West Yorkshire. This includes during a visit by the Secretary of State and Rail Minister to Bradford on 5<sup>th</sup> October. We will continue to engage closely with partners and local leaders as delivery plans are defined to ensure that projects deliver the services that people need and want.</p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 26/10/2023 09:14:11 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1663128

registered interest
date	13/10/2023
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Mental Health Services: Children and Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to improve the way referrals are made by schools to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, in the context of Coroner Abigail Combes' prevention of future deaths report in September 2023.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	200982
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2023 answer text <p>The Department is committed to improving the way referrals are made by schools to child and adolescent mental health services, through the work of mental health support teams, enhancing join up between schools and mental health services. There are now almost 400 mental health support teams in place across England, covering over three million children or around 35% of pupils in schools and colleges. We are aiming to increase this coverage to 50% by April 2025.</p><p>We are progressing work with NHS England and stakeholders to increase access to children and young people’s mental health services as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan. The National Health Service is working towards implementing a new waiting time standard for children, young people and their families/carers presenting to community-based mental health services to start to receive care within four weeks from referral.</p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Maria Caulfield question first answered 24/10/2023 09:40:32 answering member 4492 label Biography information for Maria Caulfield
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1658670

registered interest
date	06/09/2023
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Prescription Drugs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish a (a) response to the consultation on hub and spoke dispensing and (b) timetable for the implementation of secondary legislation.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	198248
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2023 answer text <p>We are finalising our response to the consultation and the timetable for bringing forward the implementing of the legislation and our aim is to publish this as soon as possible. The timetable for bringing forward the implementing legislation will be dependent on the availability of Parliamentary time across the four nations.</p><p>We are committed to pursuing legislative changes to level the playing field and enable all community pharmacies to make use of hub and spoke arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Harborough answering member printed Neil O'Brien question first answered 11/09/2023 15:25:38 answering member 4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1657701

registered interest
date	04/09/2023
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	Disability: Certification
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a disability certificate that includes details of a named accompanying person.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	197579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2023 answer text <p>While some disabled people may welcome a card or certificate that acts as a proof of disability, we are aware that some disabled people would not wish to carry a card or certificate which confirms their disability or impairment. Some people who may meet the criteria for the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability do not identify as disabled, although they may require reasonable adjustments, and introducing a certificate or card scheme could exclude these persons.</p><p> </p><p>The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve disabled people’s access to goods and services, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people. This reasonable adjustment duty is an anticipatory duty, meaning that those who provide goods, facilities and services to members of the public are expected to anticipate the reasonable adjustments that disabled customers may require. There is no need for a person to actively prove their disability to be protected by the Equality Act.</p><p> </p><p>There are a number of optional schemes and cards in the UK that have been created to meet particular needs and which people may use if they wish. These include the Hidden Disability Sunflower Scheme which discreetly identifies where additional support may be needed and which is gaining widespread recognition, and Nimbus Disability’s Access Card which can help when communicating with a business about the types of support or reasonable adjustments that might be needed to access their services.</p><p> </p><p>Naming an accompanying person could prove restrictive. A disabled person may have more than one accompanying person or may be accompanied by different people on different occasions.</p><p> </p><p>There are therefore no plans to introduce a disability ID card or certificate at this time.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 07/09/2023 13:41:40 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1656967

registered interest
date	01/09/2023
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	Pensions Ombudsman
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time was for the Pensions Ombudsman to respond to enquiries in the latest period for which data is available; and if he will set a timetable for reducing those waiting times.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	197228
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2023 answer text <p>The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) has seen a consistent increase in demand for its services in recent years and has worked to improve and streamline processes. In 2022/23 TPO resolved around 99% of its general enquiries within 28 days of being logged on TPO’s system, compared to a target of 90%. In the same year, TPO closed almost 70% of pension complaints within 12 months, against a target of 55%.</p><p>TPO recently experienced a cyber incident which temporarily impacted its ability to respond to enquiries and progress pension complaints. The organisation is currently assessing the effect on waiting times and developing plans to reduce these.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 06/09/2023 10:32:31 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1653963

registered interest
date	18/07/2023
answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept id	215
answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
hansard heading	Alternative Fuel Payments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2023 to Question 185463 on Alternative Fuel Payments: Houseboats, what progress his Department has made on establishing whether there is a robust method for households without a permanent address to be able to claim the alternative fuel payment support.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	194911
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2023 answer text <p>The Government has determined that the most robust mechanism available for establishing whether someone resides permanently on a boat for the purposes of the EBSS Alternative Funding is to use the Canal and River Trust’s list of those who cruise continuously and held a long-term licence during the application window for the scheme.</p><p>Therefore, the Government has set up a process to issue a £600 support voucher to those itinerant boat dwellers through the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding for continuous cruisers. Eligible individuals will not need to apply for this support.</p> answering member constituency Derby North answering member printed Amanda Solloway question first answered 04/09/2023 15:20:26 answering member 4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood