Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1003590

registered interest
date	09/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Electoral Register: Proof of Identity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendations outlined in the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilot schemes, what guidance the Government will be providing for the May 2019 voter ID pilot schemes.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	189733
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to working with the Electoral Commission on its recommendations from its evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilots. Each pilot is working closely and collaboratively with the Cabinet Office to complete the design and development of successful voter ID pilots.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 14/11/2018 13:37:33 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002664

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendations in the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilot schemes, what work the Government is undertaking with returning officers, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and organisations that represent people with different needs to carry out robust equality impact assessments of the pilot schemes taking place in May 2019.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188869
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>The success of the voter ID pilots in May this year proves that voter ID is a reasonable and proportionate measure. On 3 November the Government announced that eleven local authorities across England would be taking part in voter ID pilots for the 2019 local elections.</p><p> </p><p>Equality impact assessments will be conducted in each of the pilot areas. We take seriously the importance of Public Sector Equality Duty compliance at an early stage in policy development and are engaging with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and a broad range of charities and civil society organisations to ensure that the overall policy reflects the needs of all voters in the UK. Local authorities will provide alternative methods of ID to individuals who do not have a specified form of ID, free of charge, ensuring that everyone who is registered has the opportunity to vote.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 15:50:49 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002665

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilot schemes, what steps his Department is taking to ensure pilot schemes taking place in May 2019 will include options for people who do not have a required form of identification.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188870
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>The success of the voter ID pilots in May this year proves that voter ID is a reasonable and proportionate measure. On 3 November the Government announced that eleven local authorities across England would be taking part in voter ID pilots for the 2019 local elections.</p><p> </p><p>We take seriously the importance of Public Sector Equality Duty compliance at an early stage in policy development. Pilots will test a range of photographic and non-photographic ID, including poll cards. The types of ID will not be limited to a passport, driving licence or travel pass. Local authorities will continue to provide alternative methods of ID free of charge, to individuals who do not have a specified form of ID, ensuring that everyone who is registered has the opportunity to vote.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 15:55:58 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002666

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation of the 2018 voter ID pilot schemes, what steps his Department is taking to identify alternative forms of identification for (a) people with protected characteristics and (b) others who find it difficult to provide a passport, driving licence or travel pass.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188871
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>The success of the voter ID pilots in May this year proves that voter ID is a reasonable and proportionate measure. On 3 November the Government announced that eleven local authorities across England would be taking part in voter ID pilots for the 2019 local elections.</p><p> </p><p>We take seriously the importance of Public Sector Equality Duty compliance at an early stage in policy development. Pilots will test a range of photographic and non-photographic ID, including poll cards. The types of ID will not be limited to a passport, driving licence or travel pass. Local authorities will continue to provide alternative methods of ID free of charge, to individuals who do not have a specified form of ID, ensuring that everyone who is registered has the opportunity to vote.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 15:56:18 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002668

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Electoral Register
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference his Department's proposals on the reform of the annual canvass published in October 2018, whether his Department has carried out a risk assessment of the hybrid model for delivering the annual canvass; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure the right to vote is protected for (a) people with protected characteristics and (b) generally.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188872
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to do so. An integral part of this is having an electoral registration system that is efficient and meets the needs of the modern citizen.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our plans for reform of the annual canvass, the Government is currently consulting on a hybrid model based on the evidence from 23 canvass pilot projects. The consultation is being conducted jointly with the Scottish and Welsh Governments and will remain open until 30th November 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The pilots have provided us with a strong basis from which to evaluate and mitigate any risks. In developing the model, we have worked closely with stakeholders in the electoral community including the Electoral Commission, Association of Electoral Administrators and the Scottish Assessors Association. Throughout, we have considered how best to support citizens with protected characteristics to ensure our policy proposal for the reform of the annual canvass supports their participation in our country’s democratic events.</p><p> </p><p>We have engaged with organisations that represent their interests. This has included seeking the opinions of the Accessibility of Elections Working Group, whose membership includes leading charities, such as the Royal Mencap Society, RNIB and Scope. The proposals for the reform of the annual canvass were shared with this group on the 9th October.</p><p> </p><p>Our proposals for canvass reform do not affect the ability of individuals to register at any time during the year. The introduction of online registration has made it easier, simpler and faster to register to vote. This can be done online at <a href="http://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/register-to-vote</a> <a href="http://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote" target="_blank"> </a>in as little as 5 minutes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 16:04:15 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1002187

registered interest
date	05/11/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Local Government: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will publish the statutory orders for each of the electoral pilot schemes taking place at local government elections in 2019.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	188226
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future.</p><p> </p><p>Orders enabling the pilot scheme to require voters to present identification before voting at</p><p>a polling station will be published on <a href="http://gov.uk/" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The orders derive from the Representation of the People Act 2000, which makes provision for local authorities to submit proposals to pilot innovative electoral administration practices at local</p><p>government elections.</p><p> </p><p>The success of the voter ID pilots in May this year proves that voter ID is a reasonable and</p><p>proportionate measure. On 3 November the Government announced that eleven local</p><p>authorities across England would be taking part in voter ID pilots for the 2019 local elections:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/next-round-of-voter-id-pilots-announced-for-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/next-round-of-voter-id-pilots-announced-for-2019</a></p><p> </p><p>The pilots will give us a deeper understanding of how voter ID will work on a wider scale and</p><p>what works best for voters.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/11/2018 16:00:24 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

992775

registered interest
date	22/10/2018
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: North West
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Answer of 17 October 2018 to Question 177342 on Railways: North West, if he will publish the public expenditure on railways in each region of the UK between 2013/14 to 2016/17.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	182284
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2018 answer text <p>Figures on public sector expenditure at a regional level are part of the Government’s Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) statistics. These provide statistical allocations of public spending according to where the benefits of that spend are accrued.</p><p> </p><p>The latest CRA statistics, published by Treasury in November 2017, present data up to 2016-17 and are published at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-and-regional-analysis" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-and-regional-analysis</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The statistics include spend on transport by all public sector organisations including the Department for Transport, Local Authorities, Public Corporations (in the case of transport, this is mainly spend by London Underground) and other Government Departments including devolved administrations.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The most recent statistics up to 2016/17 are presented in the table below. These show total public expenditure on national railways by region, and reflect the levels of both ‘capital’ and ‘current’ (resource) expenditure.</p><p> </p><p>It is important to note however that it is challenging, when talking about a system or network such as the railway, to accurately break down regional spending in a meaningful way.</p><p> </p><p>As a network, where the expenditure takes place on the railway is not always an accurate reflection of where the benefits are felt. An investment in one part of the country may improve the journeys of all the people passing through that area, providing network benefits that, whilst difficult to account for, are spread beyond the immediate region concerned. For example, improvements to the rail network in Birmingham can benefit services all the way from Edinburgh to Penzance.</p><p> </p><p>The life-spans of railway assets also present a challenge when considering the regional spread of infrastructure funding at any single point in time. The 25-40 year lives of some assets naturally mean that there will be a cyclical nature to replacing them that does not lend itself to an even split of funding across all regions within say a five year period. For example whilst a project like Crossrail has recently caused a spike in expenditure concentrated in London during construction, significant enhancement work on the West Coast Main Line was completed towards the end of the 2000s, meaning that further significant spend on that line could be expected to occur not over the past five years but in future periods[MS1] .</p><p> </p><p>Regarding spend in London, London has a substantial number of daily commuters and visitors, both domestically and internationally, who will be using and benefitting from the public transport networks in London but who aren’t residents in London. The unique scale and urban density of London by comparison to other parts of the country also means that it is particularly adapted to large scale public transport networks. Key parts of the rail network serve as international travel ‘hubs’ for the whole of the country. For geographic reasons, many of these are concentrated in London and the South East, for example, the UK's sole rail link to continental Europe (via St Pancras International and the Channel Tunnel[MS2] ).<strong>Total annual public sector expenditure on railways (£millions, nominal)</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013/14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014/15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015/16</strong><strong><sup>1</sup></strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016/17</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East of England</p></td><td><p>426</p></td><td><p>557</p></td><td><p>1,017</p></td><td><p>883</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>201</p></td><td><p>197</p></td><td><p>444</p></td><td><p>332</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>3,870</p></td><td><p>4,149</p></td><td><p>5,774</p></td><td><p>6,796</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>196</p></td><td><p>185</p></td><td><p>258</p></td><td><p>291</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>893</p></td><td><p>758</p></td><td><p>1,476</p></td><td><p>1,262</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>702</p></td><td><p>728</p></td><td><p>1,395</p></td><td><p>1,816</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>215</p></td><td><p>226</p></td><td><p>481</p></td><td><p>750</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>394</p></td><td><p>521</p></td><td><p>932</p></td><td><p>872</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire and The Humber</p></td><td><p>609</p></td><td><p>391</p></td><td><p>937</p></td><td><p>741</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Northern Ireland</p></td><td><p>55</p></td><td><p>61</p></td><td><p>82</p></td><td><p>94</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>965</p></td><td><p>849</p></td><td><p>1,045</p></td><td><p>1,223</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>392</p></td><td><p>427</p></td><td><p>610</p></td><td><p>517</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Outside UK</p></td><td><p>72</p></td><td><p>85</p></td><td><p>78</p></td><td><p>103</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total Expenditure</strong></p></td><td><p><strong> 8,992 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> 9,134 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> 14,529 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> 15,681 </strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em><sup>1</sup></em><em>Due to the reclassification of Network Rail into the public sector from 2015/16, care should be taken when making historical comparisons.</em></p><p> </p><p>[MS1]From evidence to the TSC</p><p>[MS2]From previous PQs.</p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson question first answered 30/10/2018 16:59:48 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

988850

registered interest
date	16/10/2018
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	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, for what reason the views, experiences and opinions of individual professionals, researchers, commentators or patients will not be able to be included in his Department's, Prescribed medicines: an evidence review, published on 23 July 2018.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	180245
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2018 answer text <p>The review is a public health evidence review of the published evidence and available data. This process is distinct from a public inquiry, which would include individual testimony.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 24/10/2018 16:58:10 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

984757

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Electoral Register: Students
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that higher education providers co-operate with electoral registration officers on the facilitation of electoral registration.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	177758
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2018 answer text <p>On Friday 14 September, the Office for Students (OfS) published its guidance to Higher Education providers on the student electoral registration condition.This guidance is the final step in the implementation of the student electoral registration regulatory condition provided for in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The OfS guidance represents the first time that student electoral registration forms part of the Higher Education framework in England. In fulfilling the condition, Higher Education providers across England will be obliged to work with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to facilitate electoral registration amongst their student populations. The condition also reinforces an existing legal requirement for Higher Education providers to comply with ERO requests for information, necessary for maintaining complete and accurate electoral registers.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 16/10/2018 09:32:23 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

984374

registered interest
date	09/10/2018
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: North West
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the funding allocated to the UK railway network between 2014 and 2019 (a) has been and (b) is planned to be spent in (i) Lancashire and (ii) the North West.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	177342
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2018 answer text <p><strong>a) </strong><strong> Historical spending</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Figures on public sector expenditure at a regional level are part of the Government’s Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) statistics. These provide statistical allocations of public spending according to where the benefits of that spend are accrued.</p><p> </p><p>The statistics include spend on transport by all public sector organisations including the Department for Transport, Local Authorities, Public Corporations (in the case of transport, this is mainly spend by London Underground) and other Government Departments including devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p>This information is available for regions (formerly government office regions) only, and therefore is unavailable for Lancashire.</p><p> </p><p>The most recent statistics up to 2016/17 are presented in the table below. These show total public expenditure on national railways for the North West, and reflect the levels of both ‘capital’ and ‘current’ (resource) expenditure.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Total annual public sector expenditure on railways (£millions, nominal)</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>2015/16<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>893</p></td><td><p>758</p></td><td><p>1,476</p></td><td><p>1,262</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total expenditure</p></td><td><p>8,992</p></td><td><p>9,134</p></td><td><p>14,529</p></td><td><p>15,681</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>North West as % of total expenditure</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>10%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>10%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8%</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p><em><sup>1</sup></em><em>Due to the reclassification of Network Rail into the public sector from 2015/16, care should be taken when making historical comparisons.</em></p><p> </p><p><strong>b) </strong><strong> Future spending</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Recent analysis published by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority shows that over the period 2017/18 to 2020/21, the North West will receive £1,353 of central government transport capital expenditure per head of population, the most of all English regions. This publication covers all transport modes, and does not disaggregate further by individual modes. It does not include ‘current’ expenditure or spend by Local Authorities or Public Corporations.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-and-construction-pipeline-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-and-construction-pipeline-2017</a> (page 45).</p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson question first answered 17/10/2018 09:15:35 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith