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1134806

registered interest
date	26/06/2019
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, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of local authorities franchising of bus services.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	269657
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Bus Services Act 2017 introduced new bus franchising powers for local authorities as well as providing other tools such as Enhanced Partnerships to improve bus services.</p><p> </p><p>Officials have met with a number of interested local authorities to help them understand the opportunities in the Act to improve bus services in their area. It is up to individual local authorities to decide what powers in the act to use and the Department has published guidance and continues to provide advice when requested to those that are taking plans forward.</p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 01/07/2019 11:47:46 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134822

registered interest
date	26/06/2019
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	Russia: Council of Europe
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the Council of Europe’s decision allowing Russia to return to the human rights watchdog.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	269658
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The decision to adopt rules changes that saw the return of the Russian delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly was a matter for the Assembly, which is independent from the intergovernmental Committee of Ministers. Russia's membership of the Council of Europe provides access, valued by Russian citizens and human rights NGOs, to the European Court of Human Rights and is one of the few ways available to the international community to hold Russia to account for its human rights violations. The British government did not, however, support Russia's unconditional return to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. We consistently called on Russia to fulfil all its obligations as a Member State, including payment of all debts to the Council of Europe, and to adhere to Council of Europe standards on human rights, democracy and rule of law. We will continue our efforts in the Council of Europe to ensure Russia is answerable for its actions. We will also continue to make clear that we do not and will never recognise Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 01/07/2019 15:48:18 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134508

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Data Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to prepare for the consequences of data spillages.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	268999
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>DCMS has clearly defined processes for identifying and managing data incidents.</p><p> </p><p>DCMS consumes a shared official tier platform delivered through a partnership arrangement with the Cabinet Office. As part of this partnership arrangement they ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our core systems.</p> answering member constituency Stourbridge answering member printed Margot James question first answered 15/07/2019 13:40:31 answering member 4115 label Biography information for Margot James
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134031

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Agriculture: Weedkillers
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 assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing more support for farmers to control weeds without using synthetic herbicides.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	268430
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>Effective weed control is key to successful crop production and grassland management. Herbicides are one means of controlling weeds but there are a number of other tools including variety selection, crop rotation and cultivation techniques. Regulation of herbicides is rigorous and they are not authorised for use if they may harm health or risk unacceptable impacts on the environment.</p><p> </p><p>The 25 Year Environment Plan states the Government’s intention to put Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at the heart of its approach. IPM aims to design farming systems so as to minimise the need for pesticides, including herbicides, and to make the greatest possible use of alternative approaches. We will develop and implement policies that encourage and support this approach, building on existing work to research and promote new techniques and products that provide alternatives to chemical pesticides. Where these practices are shown to deliver environmental outcomes, farmers who adopt them will be well placed to benefit from a future Environmental Land Management system.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 27/06/2019 15:49:07 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134105

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Voting Rights: Prisoners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has plans to give prisoners in England the right to vote.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	268431
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>It is the Government’s long-established position that when someone commits a crime, which is sufficiently serious to receive a prison sentence, they are deemed to have broken their contract with society to such an extent that they should not have the right to vote until they are ready to be back in the community.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/06/2019 09:57:09 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134123

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Uganda: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Ugandan Ambassador to the UK on press freedom and civil liberties in that country.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	268432
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>Government officials have discussed the upcoming media freedom conference, and its priority for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with the Ugandan High Commission in London. The Ugandan Foreign Minister is also confirmed to attend the conference. Our High Commission in Kampala, alongside the EU and other missions, released a statement on 3 May calling on the Ugandan Government to guarantee freedom of speech and expression, and freedom of assembly as enshrined in the Ugandan Constitution. Following the statement, British High Commission staff highlighted our concerns during the EU Heads of Mission meeting with President Museveni in May. The UK supports freedom of expression as a fundamental human right alongside freedom of the media and we continue regularly to raise any concerns around civic and political issues directly with the Ugandan government.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 27/06/2019 15:46:31 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134124

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Assessments: Data Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that schools and colleges follow guidance on exam procedure to minimise the risk of security breaches.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	268433
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write directly to the hon. Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 27/06/2019 16:07:58 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134130

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the findings of the June 2019 report by the Prison Reform Trust, Prison: the facts, what steps his Department is taking to (a) tackle overcrowding and (b) improve conditions in prisons.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	268434
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>Reducing crowding is a central aim of our modernisation of the prison estate. Our plan for reducing prison crowding is to replace prisons that are operating over their certified normal accommodation levels with new accommodation that is safe, decent, and uncrowded and close current (crowded or partially crowded) capacity. The first steps in this direction have already been taken with the opening of 2,100 uncrowded prison places at HMP/YOI Berwyn and 206 uncrowded places in a new houseblock at HMP Stocken. Additionally, we are constructing modern prisons at the former HMP Wellingborough and HMP Glen Parva sites, which are due to open in 2021 and 2023 respectively.</p><p> </p><p>We invested an additional £31m in the last financial year to improve conditions in some of the prisons with the most pressing issues. With this funding we delivered refurbishments of nearly 1,000 cells, over 100 shower blocks and 14 food serveries at a number of prisons including HMPs Liverpool, Bristol, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs, as well as essential fire safety work.</p><p> </p><p>There is also ongoing refurbishment work to improve the condition of cells, showers and communal areas at a number of prisons, along with several projects to enhance fire safety.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 27/06/2019 11:04:48 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134159

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Redundancy Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a lower earnings threshold exemption for exit payments in the public sector.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	268435
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The government has previously consulted and legislated on the policy for a cap of £95,000 on exit payments in the public sector. The consultation published on 10 April 2019 seeks views on the draft regulations to implement this policy.</p><p>An equalities impact assessment was conducted and published in the 2016 consultation ahead of the primary legislation. Following the current consultation, a further equalities assessment will be conducted on the final version of the legislation.</p><p>The government is aware of concerns about the impact of the cap on long serving workers and workers that cannot be categorised as amongst the best paid. The government was clear during the passage of the primary legislation that the cap will have no impact on the large majority of public sector workers. The proposed cap, amounting to six times the maximum statutory redundancy entitlement, will still offer a significant level of compensation and support to employees who must support their families, find new employment or as a bridge until retirement age. We accept that there will be some circumstances where it is necessary or desirable to relax the cap. The waiver is in place for use in exceptional situations, including where imposing the cap would cause genuine hardship.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss grouped question UIN 268436 question first answered 28/06/2019 09:31:13 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134165

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Redundancy Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that proposals to cap exit payments in the public sector does not have a disproportionate effect on (a) women and (b) older people.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	268436
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The government has previously consulted and legislated on the policy for a cap of £95,000 on exit payments in the public sector. The consultation published on 10 April 2019 seeks views on the draft regulations to implement this policy.</p><p>An equalities impact assessment was conducted and published in the 2016 consultation ahead of the primary legislation. Following the current consultation, a further equalities assessment will be conducted on the final version of the legislation.</p><p>The government is aware of concerns about the impact of the cap on long serving workers and workers that cannot be categorised as amongst the best paid. The government was clear during the passage of the primary legislation that the cap will have no impact on the large majority of public sector workers. The proposed cap, amounting to six times the maximum statutory redundancy entitlement, will still offer a significant level of compensation and support to employees who must support their families, find new employment or as a bridge until retirement age. We accept that there will be some circumstances where it is necessary or desirable to relax the cap. The waiver is in place for use in exceptional situations, including where imposing the cap would cause genuine hardship.</p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss grouped question UIN 268435 question first answered 28/06/2019 09:31:13 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly