Daily Report Wednesday, 27 March 2019 CONTENTS · 2019-10-14 · Daily Report Wednesday, 27 March...

Daily Report Wednesday, 27 March 2019

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 27 March 2019 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (06:30 P.M., 27 March 2019). For the latest

information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements,

please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/

CONTENTS

ANSWERS 5

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 5

Bombardier: Contracts 5

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing

Industries 5

Solar Power 6

CABINET OFFICE 7

Civil Service: Living Wage 7

National Cyber Security

Centre 7

National Security 7

Prime Minister: Brexit 8

Public Sector: Ombudsman 8

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS 9

Church of England: Deptford 9

DEFENCE 9

Travellers: Caravan Sites 9

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT 10

Facebook: Data Protection 10

Proof of Identity: Digital

Technology 10

EDUCATION 11

Apprentices: Finance 11

Asylum: Children 11

Children in Care 12

Classroom Assistants 13

European Social Fund 13

Free School Meals: GCSE 14

Free School Meals: Secondary

Education 14

Languages: Curriculum 15

Languages: Universities 15

Pupils: Communication Skills 16

Social Services: Sunderland 16

Special Educational Needs 17

Special Educational Needs:

Unemployment 17

Students: Loans 17

Teachers: EU Nationals 17

Teachers: Recruitment 18

Universities: Finance 19

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS 19

Animal Welfare: Sentencing 19

Biodiversity 19

Cephalopods: Animal Welfare 20

Chemicals: EU Law 20

Donkeys and Horses: Animal

Welfare 21

Environment Protection 21

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

Food: Standards 22

Formaldehyde: Trading

Standards 22

Horses: Imports 23

Livestock: Exports 23

Rural Areas: Bus Services 24

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 24

Golan Heights 24

USA: State Visits 24

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 24

5G: Health Hazards 24

Asthma: Prescriptions 26

Barts Health NHS Trust:

Private Finance Initiative 27

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 27

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

Training 28

Diabetes: Medical Equipment 28

General Practitioners: Training 29

Genetics: Health Services 29

Health Services:

Cambridgeshire 29

Health Services: Reciprocal

Arrangements 30

HIV Infection: Drugs 31

Intensive Care: Hampshire 32

NHS: Innovation 32

NHS: Negligence 32

NHS: Staff 34

Pregnancy: Alcoholic Drinks 35

Travel: Vaccination 35

HOME OFFICE 36

Asylum: Sexuality 36

Borders: France 36

Crimes of Violence 36

Cybercrime 37

Immigrants: Detainees 37

Migrant Workers: Health

Services 38

Public Transport: Security 39

Radicalism: Social Media 39

Visas: France 39

HOUSE OF COMMONS

COMMISSION 40

Members: Official Hospitality 40

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT 40

Buildings: Insulation 40

Non-domestic Rates 42

Refuges: Domestic Abuse 42

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 43

Armed Conflict: Disease

Control 43

Burma: Human Trafficking 43

Developing Countries:

Children 44

Gaza: Reconstruction 44

Tuberculosis: Research 45

Yemen: Internally Displaced

People 45

Yemen: Swine Flu 46

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 46

Department for International

Trade: Consultants 46

Department for International

Trade: Ministerial Policy

Advisers 46

Exports: Switzerland 47

Iron and Steel 47

Iron and Steel: Turkey 48

JUSTICE 48

Offenders: Homelessness 48

Prisoners' Release:

Homelessness 50

Social Security Benefits:

Appeals 50

Special Educational Needs:

Prisoners 51

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

COMMISSION 52

NHS: Fraud 52

SCOTLAND 52

Driving Under Influence 52

Fisheries: Scotland 52

Taxation: Scotland 53

TRANSPORT 53

Brittany Ferries and DFDS 53

Department for Transport:

Cybercrime 54

Department for Transport:

Procurement 54

Driverless Cars: Safety 54

Driving Tests: Languages 55

Driving: Diabetes 55

Manston Airport 56

South Eastern Rail Franchise 57

TREASURY 57

Electronic Warfare 57

Females: Ethnic Groups 57

Married People: Tax

Allowances 57

NHS: Drugs 59

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Foreign

Nationals 59

Steel: Exports 61

WORK AND PENSIONS 61

Department for Work and

Pensions: Ministerial Policy

Advisers 61

Personal Independence

Payment: Dementia 62

Personal Independence

Payment: Terminal Illnesses 62

Universal Credit 63

Universal Credit: Disability 63

Universal Credit: Telephone

Services 64

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS 65

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 65

Public Health: Social Media 65

TREASURY 65

Coinage 65

WRITTEN STATEMENTS 67

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 67

Hong Kong Six Monthly Report 67

Tailored Review of the

Westminster Foundation for

Democracy 67

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 68

Contingent Liability: Financial

Assurance 68

TREASURY 69

Independent Review of the

Supervision of the Co-

Operative Bank 2008-13 69

Notes:

Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared.

Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally tabled as an

oral question and has since been unstarred.

ANSWERS

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Bombardier: Contracts

Jim Shannon: [234191]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he

has to support Bombardier to secure future contracts.

Kelly Tolhurst:

We continue work closely with both Bombardier Aerostructures and Engineering

Services and Invest Northern Ireland (INI) to identify opportunities for securing new

work to help grow the Company’s business in Belfast. As previously announced, we

and INI are providing around £27 million funding to support Bombardier’s investment

in new R&D projects to enable Bombardier to develop and manufacture new,

competitive products to secure their long-term future. Bombardier, like many of our

innovative companies in the UK Aerospace sector, benefit from Department for

International Trade’s overseas network, promoting their products and services to new

customers in key markets. UK Export Finance have and will continue to provide (on a

case by case basis) export finance support on Bombardier products, including the

A220. UKEF has, to date, supported the deliveries of 10 A220s to Korean Air.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Nic Dakin: [235765]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what

assessment the Government has made of the potential effect of a 10 percent tariff on UK-

produced cars exported to the EU on the (a) automotive supply chain and (b) steel

industry.

Claire Perry:

We expect that the EU’s most favoured nation (MFN) tariff regime would apply to UK

exports to the EU in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal. There is no

indication that the EU would modify its MFN regime as a result of our exit. Consistent

with WTO rules, the EU must apply tariffs equally to imports from all countries where

there is not a trade agreement or any other preferential arrangement in place. In the

event of no deal, this includes the UK.

Both the UK and the EU share a strong commercial interest in preserving the

integrated supply chains of the automotive and steel sectors. As set out in the

Political Declaration, the UK and the EU have agreed on a free trade area for goods.

This will combine deep regulatory and customs cooperation with no tariffs and no

quotas, underpinned by provisions ensuring open and fair competition. We will need

to agree the balance as part of the future negotiations. The Political Declaration is

clear about the UK’s and the EU’s wish to be as ambitious as possible.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-03-19/234191


BEIS Ministers and officials regularly engage with the automotive industry, including

bilaterals with manufacturers, interactions via trade associations, and through BEIS’s

participation in the Automotive Council. This insight supports policy development

within BEIS and work with other Departments. The automotive sector is a key

consumer of UK steel therefore, any reduction in demand from the automotive sector

would have an impact on UK steel producers. BEIS is working closely with steel

producers to assess the impacts of EU Exit on their businesses, including their

interaction with customers in the automotive industry. These conversations are

commercially sensitive.

Solar Power

Jo Stevens: [235404]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the total

amount of solar energy captured in the UK is for each of the last five years.

Claire Perry:

Electricity and heat generated in the UK each year from solar technologies are

presented below:

ELECTRICITY

GENERATED

SOLAR

THERMAL

GENERATION

(MTOE)

TOTAL SOLAR

ENERGY

CONSUMPTION

(MTOE)

(GWh) (MTOE)

2013 2,010 173 49 222

2014 4,054 349 50 399

2015 7,533 648 52 699

2016 10,411 895 52 947

2017 11,525 991 53 1,04

4

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/renewable-sources-of-energy-

chapter-6-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes

The data above excludes unsubsidised solar generation not currently reported to

BEIS or Ofgem. This is estimated to be very small.

Data for electricity generation in 2018 will be published on Thursday March 28 at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/766384/ET_6.1.xls


https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/renewable-sources-of-energy-chapter-6-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes



https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/766384/ET_6.1.xls



Figures for solar thermal generation in 2018 will be published on Thursday July 25 at:


ent_data/file/729372/DUKES_6.1-6.3.xls

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service: Living Wage

Mr Jim Cunningham: [234079]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of the

number of civil servants employed directly or indirectly by the Government (a) inside and

(b) outside of Greater London that are paid below the London Living Wage.

Oliver Dowden:

The government is committed to paying people a decent living wage, which is being

addressed through the national living wage, with a commitment to increase this to

reach 60% of median earnings by 2020. As of 31 March 2018, 0.9% of civil servants

employed by the Government inside of London were paid below the London Living

Wage rate of £10.20 per hour and 1.9% of civil servants outside of Londno, including

where their location is not specified in this dataset, were paid below the Living Wage

rate of £8.75 per hour. Data is not held centrally on indirectly employed agency staff

and contractors working in government departments.

National Cyber Security Centre

Jo Platt: [235803]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department monitors the number

of organisations that are (a) contacted by and (b) receive direct advice from the National

Cyber Security Centre.

Mr David Lidington:

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is the UK’s technical authority on cyber

security. It is committed to providing expert, trusted, and independent guidance for

citizens and public and private sector organisations. The NCSC does this in a number

of ways, including by publishing guidance, providing tailored sector outreach and

engagement, hosting cyber security events and information exchanges and

responding to incidents. Given the variety of methods and the freely available nature

of this guidance, the number of organisations that are contacted by and receiving

advice from the NCSC is not centrally measured.

National Security

Stephen Twigg: [235239]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendation two of the

Government’s Capability Review of the Cross Government Funds, published on 28 March

2018, what progress his Department has made on making public the versions of national

security strategies for priority countries.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/729372/DUKES_6.1-6.3.xls






Mr David Lidington:

In the National Security Capability Review the Government introduced the Fusion

Doctrine, in order to strengthen HMG’s collective approach to national security. It

introduced a new system of senior officials as Senior Responsible Owners, each

responsible for developing strategies to deliver NSC priorities via cross-departmental

National Security Strategy Implementation Groups (NSSIG).

The Joint Funds Unit and the National Security Secretariat are currently working with

teams to develop a suitable approach to the publication of the strategies that

underpin NSC priorities and clearly link how cross-Government funds are used to

support NSC priorities. At the next National Security Council Sub-Committee for the

Joint Funds (the Prosperity Fund and the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund)

Ministers will agree the approach, and departments will work together on creating

these documents for publication.

For transparency purposes, programme documents are published annually, for the

CSSF, which outline the national security objectives that each programme work

towards.

Prime Minister: Brexit

Helen Hayes: [235791]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much money from the public purse has

been spent on social media advertising for the Prime Minister’s statement in Downing

Street on 20 March 2019.

Chloe Smith:

This information is intended for publication at a later date, alongside our regular

transparency reporting.

Public Sector: Ombudsman

Jim Fitzpatrick: [234661]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on

its plans to introduce a Public Service Ombudsman; and whether the Independent

Housing Ombudsman will be included within it.

Mr David Lidington:

The government published the draft Public Service Ombudsman Bill in December

2016, setting out in detail its plans to introduce a new Public Service Ombudsman.

The draft Bill will be progressed as and when a legislative opportunity arises.

The Housing Ombudsman Service is not included in the draft Bill, but the Bill as

drafted would give Ministers the power to include that organisation at a later date,

through secondary legislation. No decisions have been taken on the potential future

inclusion of the Housing Ombudsman Service.



CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Church of England: Deptford

Hugh Gaffney: [236555]

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners,

whether the Church of England has a financial interest in (a) Tidemill Green and (b) the

site of Old Tidemill School in Deptford.

Dame Caroline Spelman:

The Church of England, the Church Commissioners and the Diocese of Southwark

have no financial interest in the site of the former parish church of Christ Church,

Deptford.

The land was sold by the Church Commissioners in 1937. The parish of Christ

Church was merged with St Nicholas Church in 1936 to form the parish of St

Nicholas with Christ Church. Following significant bomb damage, the Christ Church

buildings were demolished in 1937 and the site sold to the London Borough of

Lewisham. Housing and a school building now occupy the majority of the site

At the point of sale to the Borough of Lewisham, the usual covenants were placed on

a small section of the property which formed the site of the former Church. This

covenanted area is outside of the area currently used as a wildlife garden and the

school. The covenanted area is to be found at the back of Frankham House. No

restrictions were placed on the rest of the property to the north of Reginald Road.

DEFENCE

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: [235785]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's policy is on the

deployment of the army to assist the police in clearing an unauthorised traveller

encampment on Ministry of Defence land.

Mark Lancaster:

Under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 only the police

have the power to remove trespassers. Military personnel have no role in this

removal. Ministry of Defence (MOD) policy remains that the Department will take

appropriate action, complicit with the law, to recover possession of MOD land

occupied by unauthorised traveller encampments.



DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Facebook: Data Protection

Tom Watson: [235736]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he was notified

of the Facebook data breach reported on 21 March 2019 where the passwords of up to

600 million users were made available to Facebook employees.

Tom Watson: [235746]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what information his

Department holds on the number of UK users affected by the Facebook data breach

reported on 21 March 2019 where the passwords of up to 600 million users were made

available to Facebook employees.

Margot James:

We take the protection of personal data and the right to privacy extremely seriously.

The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) made our data protection laws fit for the digital

age and empowered people to take control of their data.

The DPA and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) introduced a duty on all

organisations including social media companies to notify certain types of personal

data breaches to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Under the GDPR, a company may designate one national regulator in the European

Union as its “lead supervisory authority”, so that it does not have to deal with 28

separate regulators. In the case of Facebook, the Irish Data Protection authority

takes that role and is therefore leading on this breach.

The ICO is working with its Irish counterpart to ensure that it fulfils its role to protect

UK citizens data. This includes establishing the number of UK users affected.

Proof of Identity: Digital Technology

Eddie Hughes: [232639]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward

legislative proposals to ensure that digital ID has carries the same age proofing weight as

a passport or other physical ID document.

Margot James:

The evidential requirements to authenticate identity attributes vary depending on the

nature of the goods or services being sought. Usually relying parties determine the

necessary level of authentication they require, though this is sometimes prescribed in

regulation. There are no current legislative proposals on this matter but regulation is

kept under review.




EDUCATION

Apprentices: Finance

Rebecca Pow: [235358]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Education and Skills Funding

Agency plans to revise its apprenticeship funding rules for training providers and

employers to include training for communication skills development in the list of items that

can be funded; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton:

The apprenticeship funding rules set out eligible costs that the government will pay to

support the training and assessment required to deliver an apprenticeship.

The funding rules do not set out the different skills required for each apprenticeship

as these are different for every standard or framework. The knowledge, skills and

behaviours required for each apprenticeship are set out in the standard and its

assessment plan or in the framework that the apprentice undertakes. Where these

include communication as an essential element of the skills needed for an apprentice

to be competent, the costs of this training can be covered.

If an individual requires additional learning support that includes developing

communication skills in order to successfully complete an apprenticeship, we will also

pay up to £150 per month to support this.

The apprenticeship funding rules are published on GOV.UK:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apprenticeship-funding-rules.

Asylum: Children

Helen Whately: [234854]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children

are unaccompanied asylum seeking children in each local authority area.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The latest information on the number of looked-after children who were

unaccompanied asylum seeking children, by local authority, can be found in table

LAA4 of the statistical release ‘Children Looked-After in England: Including Adoption:

2017 to 2018’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-

england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018. These figures show the numbers at 31

March 2018.

The available population estimates for the number of children in each local authority

are mid-year estimates published by the Office for National Statistics and these are

reproduced in the underlying data that accompany this release.


https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apprenticeship-funding-rules

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apprenticeship-funding-rules


Children in Care

Grahame Morris: [235757]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional financial support his

Department provides to local authorities that experience a significant increase in the

number of looked-after children under their care.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the

average caseload ratios for social workers working with looked-after children.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had had with

Durham County Council on managing the increase in the number of looked-after children

in County Durham.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Funding for children’s services is made available through the Local Government

Finance Settlement (LGFS), which gives local authorities flexibility to target spending

according to local needs and to fulfil their statutory responsibilities, including services

for looked-after children.

Over the five-year period to 2019-20, councils have access, through the LGFS, to

over £200 billion to deliver local services, including children’s services. Core

spending power has increased from £45.1 billion in 2018-19 to £46.4 billion in 2019-

20.

Social worker caseload data is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-work-workforce-2018. The

average caseload per children and family social worker was 17.4 cases (based on

full-time equivalent counts) in 2018. Specific data on the ratios for social workers

working with looked after children is not available.

Along with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, we regularly

meet key stakeholders, including Directors of Children’s Services, to discuss

children’s services. Officials in regional teams also meet local authorities regularly

and the most recent meeting with Durham County Council was earlier this month.

The department recognises how important it is to speak directly with those who are

delivering services for children and families and we are working between now and the

Spending Review to get a sharper and more granular picture of children’s services

costs and pressures.

We are also, through our ‘Strengthening Families, Protecting Children’ programme,

investing £84 million over the next 5 years to support up to 20 local authorities with

high or rising demand for children’s social care to work more effectively with their

most vulnerable families.




https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-work-workforce-2018

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-work-workforce-2018

Classroom Assistants


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teaching assistants have been

employed in schools in (a) England, (b) North East and (c) Easington constituency in

each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb:

The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants in

state funded in England, North East region and Easington constituency in November

each year from 2013 to 2017.

ENGLAND NORTH EAST EASINGTON

2013[1] 243,733 11,006 347

2014[2] 255,088 12,053 403

2015[3] 262,950 12,534 395

2016[4] 265,616 12,698 383

2017[5] 262,820 12,532 379

Source: School Workforce Census

[1] 2013 figures for the North East region exclude 4 out of 1,552 schools that did not

provide a return for teaching assistant numbers.









European Social Fund

Angela Rayner: [235786]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the total number and value is of

European Social Fund contracts held by (a) the Education and Skills Funding Agency and

(b) his Department.

Anne Milton:

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) procures education and training

delivery on behalf of local enterprise partnerships, as a co-financing organisation in



the current 2014-20 European Social Fund (ESF) programme. The ESFA is

undertaking this procurement exercise as an executive agency of the department.

Current European Social Fund contracts are due to conclude at the end of March

2019. This includes a total of 294 contracts delivering £495 million worth of provision.

The ESFA are finalising procurement of new European Social Fund contracts to start

in April 2019 and to run until 2021 to make sure that there is no gap in provision

between the ending of current European Social Fund contracts and the launch of a

successor programme. These contracts are flexible to run in both a deal and no-deal

scenario - in the event of a no-deal, the costs of provision are covered by the

government’s guarantee. The procurement is for a total of 132 contracts totalling

£314 million worth of provision.

Free School Meals: GCSE

Gloria De Piero: [235752]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of students in

(a) Ashfield, (b) Rushcliffe, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) England who are (i) eligible and

(ii) not eligible for free school meals achieved grades 4 to 9 in GCSE (A) English and (B)

maths in 2017 and 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of students in


(ii) not eligible for free school meals achieved five or more GCSEs at grades 4 to 9 in (A)

2017 and (B) 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average Attainment 8 score per

pupil who is (a) eligible and (b) not eligible for free school meals was in 2017 and 2018

for (i) Ashfield, (ii) Rushcliffe, (iii) Nottinghamshire and (iv) England.

Nick Gibb:

Key Stage 4 pupil attainment (including grade 9-4 in English and in mathematics, 5 or

more GCSE grades 9-4/A*-C and average Attainment 8 score per pupil) for England,

Nottinghamshire, Ashfield and Rushcliffe, split by eligibility for free school meals in

2017/18 and 2016/17 is provided in the attached tables.

Attachments:

1. 235752_235753_235754_KS4_Attainment_Split_by_FSM

[235752_235753_235754_KS4_Attainment_Split_by_Eligibility_for_Free_School_Meals.xls]

Free School Meals: Secondary Education


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children in






(ii) not eligible for free school meals, reached the expected standard in reading, writing

and maths at Key Stage 2 at the end of the 2017-2018 academic year.

Nick Gibb:

The information is provided in the tables attached.

Attachments:

1. 235751_KS2_Attainment_in_Reading_Writing_Maths

[235751_KS2_Attainment_in_Reading_Writing_Maths_Ashfield .doc]

Languages: Curriculum

Mr Laurence Robertson: [234080]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the

number of pupils in each key stage in (a) state and (b) private primary schools who are

studying European languages by each language studied.

Nick Gibb:

The information requested on which languages are taught by which primary schools,

or on pupils’ performance in foreign language study at primary school, is not held

centrally.

Languages: Universities

Mr Laurence Robertson: [234082]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the

number of students at UK universities who are studying each European language.

Chris Skidmore:

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics

about higher education in the UK and the latest statistics refer to the academic year

2017/18.

HESA publishes breakdowns by subject area at UK higher education institutions

(HEIs) but does not go into detail beyond ‘languages’. In 2017/18, there were 84,260

full-person-equivalent 1 students enrolled on languages courses in UK HEIs. This

information is shown in table 22 in the following link: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-

and-analysis/students/what-study.

It should be noted that HESA figures are rounded to the nearest 5 and that the figure

of 84,260 is for all students enrolled on languages courses. This includes all levels of

study (undergraduate, postgraduate etc.) and all modes of study (full-time and part-

time).

[1] Counts are on the basis of full person equivalents. Where a student is studying

more than one subject, the counts are distributed between the subjects that make up

their course.



https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/what-study



Pupils: Communication Skills

Rebecca Pow: [235357]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans Ofsted has to ensure that

descriptors of high-quality education in new inspection handbooks for (a) early years, (b)

schools and (c) further education emphasise the importance of pupils developing

language and communication skills.

Nick Gibb:

This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked

her to write to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries

of both Houses.

Social Services: Sunderland

Bridget Phillipson: [235783]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the

financial sustainability of children's services in Sunderland.

Bridget Phillipson: [235784]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect

of the change in the level of funding allocated to children's services in the North East on

the wellbeing of children and families.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Over the five-year period to 2019-20, councils have access, through the Local

Government Finance Settlement, to over £200 billion to deliver local services,

including children’s services. Core spending power has increased from £45.1 billion

in 2018-19 to £46.4 billion in 2019-20. For Sunderland, this means an increase in

core spending power of £235 million in 2018-19 to £239 million in 2019-20.

In addition to this, the Autumn Budget announced a further £410 million in 2019-20

for local authorities to invest in adult and children’s social care services.

The Department for Education (DfE) made an investment of £2.4 million towards the

creation of Together for Children (TfC), the company responsible for delivering

children’s services in Sunderland, which has started to make an impact on improving

children’s services. In addition, we are supporting TfC to develop projects which will

help to deliver better quality services for the children and families of Sunderland.

DfE are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local

Government on the review of relative needs and resources to develop a robust, up-

to-date approach to funding distribution for children's services at local government

finance settlements.

The government will continue to work closely with the sector to consider long-term

children’s services funding as part of the upcoming Spending Review.




Special Educational Needs

Dr Paul Williams: [235804]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many local authorities are maintaining

Education, Health and Care plans por young people up to the age of 25.

Nadhim Zahawi:

All local authorities are maintaining education, health and care (EHC) plans for young

people up to the age of 25. The number of pupils with a statement or EHC plan,

based on where the child attends school by local authority can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-

2018.

Special Educational Needs: Unemployment


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many young people aged 16 to 24 years

old not in education, employment and training have a special educational need.

Anne Milton:

The information requested is not held centrally. Information on the number of young

people who are not in education, employment and training and who have an

education, health and care plan is currently being collected from local authorities for

the first time and will be published in May 2019 within the “Statements of SEN and

EHC plans: January 2019” publication.

Students: Loans

Gordon Marsden: [235743]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with Philip

Augar and the Post-18 review panel on Shariah compliant loans.

Chris Skidmore:

The government is committed to introducing an Alternative Student Finance product

which complies with Sharia law and we continue to make progress with the review so

the government can deliver a post-18 education system that is accessible to all,

delivers the skills that the country needs and is value for money for both the taxpayer

and students.

Teachers: EU Nationals

David Simpson: [235326]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers in UK schools are EU

nationals.

Nick Gibb:

The Department does not collect information on nationality in the school workforce

census for teachers in England. In the Migration Advisory Committee’s European

Economic Aarea (EEA) migration report, published in September 2018, it was





estimated that there are 11,400 and 13,100 EEA-born primary and secondary school

teachers, respectively, working in the UK. This accounts for 2.6% (primary) and 3.0%

(secondary) of the total numbers. This compares to around 5% of the general

population. The full report can be found here:


ent_data/file/741926/Final_EEA_report.PDF.

For the first time in the 2018-19 Initial teacher training (ITT): trainee number census,

the Department published data on the nationality of ITT trainees. In academic year

2018-19, there were 28,570 postgraduate new entrants to ITT whose nationality was

known. Of these, 93% were UK nationals (26,525), 5% were EEA nationals (1,405)

and 2% were nationals of other countries (635). These are the same proportions as in

academic years 2017-18 and 2016-17. The census results can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/initial-teacher-training-trainee-number-

census-2018-to-2019.

Teachers: Recruitment

Jonathan Reynolds: [234178]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are being taken to increase

recruitment levels of science teachers.

Nick Gibb:

Recruiting science teachers is a top priority for the Government. The Department has

put in place a range of measures, including increased generous bursaries, worth up

to £26,000 for physics, biology and chemistry to encourage even more talented

individuals into teaching. Our prestigious scholarship scheme will also continue,

offering a package of tailored support and £28,000 tax-free for scholars in physics,

chemistry and computer science.

The Department is also testing new financial incentives to boost recruitment and

retention, which include a student loan reimbursement pilot for science teachers in 25

local authorities that are most in need. Around 1,700 science teachers a year will be

eligible for this pilot scheme.

In addition to this, the Department has developed a number of further initiatives to

encourage more science specialists into initial teacher training (ITT). These include

targeted marketing campaigns; providing support to potential science ITT applicants

to increase the proportion of successful applications; and a programme to recruit high

calibre post-doctoral researchers who have detailed subject knowledge and a

passion to teach physics in the schools where they are most needed.

The new National Mathematics and Physics school-centred ITT plans to offer high

quality teacher training, in collaboration with partner schools across the country and

Buckingham University, led by maths and physics experts in partnership with the

Institute of Physics and Mathematical Association.

The Department provides the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

international Teacher Recruitment Programme to support state-funded secondary

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/initial-teacher-training-trainee-number-census-2018-to-2019




schools in England with recruiting to physics vacancies. Through this programme,

schools can recruit qualified teachers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the

USA to teach physics.

Universities: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to

increase the financial sustainability of universities currently operating with a deficit.

Chris Skidmore:

I refer the hon. Member for Coventry South to the answer I gave to the right hon.

Member for Ashton-under-Lyne on 18 February 2019, to question 220252.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Sentencing

Stephanie Peacock: [233614]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the

Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 230932 on Animal Welfare Act 2006, when he

plans to increase the custodial maximum penalty for animal cruelty from six months

imprisonment to five years imprisonment; and whether that change will require primary

legislation.

David Rutley:

The Government remains committed to increasing the maximum custodial penalty for

animal cruelty from 6 months’ to 5 years’ imprisonment, and will do so as soon as

Parliamentary time allows. Primary legislation is required.

Biodiversity

Paul Farrelly: [235742]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking to meet UN biodiversity targets on halting species decline and

improving the condition of protected sites.

Dr Thérèse Coffey:

Domestic biodiversity policy is a devolved matter and the information provided relates

to England only, except in relation to our plans internationally.

On land, around 94% of our protected sites, covering over 1 million hectares, are now

in good condition or have management in place to restore their condition. At sea, we

are putting management measures in place to protect and expand our Marine

Protected Areas. We have consulted on a third tranche of 41 Marine Conservation

Zones. Sites to be designated will be in place by 7 June.




Our agencies and non-Departmental bodies are working on species recovery projects

with landowning and conservation partners, for example on freshwater pearl mussel,

short-haired bumblebee and stone curlew.

The ongoing declines in nature are a global problem that need a global solution. That

is why the UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing a global post-2020

framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity that is ambitious and

transformational. Our Darwin Initiative supports global action by providing grants to

protect biodiversity and the natural environment, with £10.6 million awarded in 2018.

Defra has contributed almost £6 million over the last three years to Darwin Plus for

Overseas Territories’ biodiversity. We continue to support activities to end poaching

and the illegal wildlife trade, and have recently passed new legislation to close our

domestic ivory market, which will be the toughest ivory ban in Europe and one of the

toughest in the world.

The UK Government has committed to protecting the ocean, and has called for at

least 30 per cent of the ocean to be in Marine Protected Areas by 2030. Our Blue Belt

programme will protect marine habitats and species in 4million km 2 around the

Overseas Territories by 2020.

Cephalopods: Animal Welfare

Yasmin Qureshi: [233508]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his

Department has made an assessment of (a) the sentience of cephalopods and (b) their

capability to feel pain; and whether cephalopods are included in the definition of animal in

the draft sentience Bill.

David Rutley:

We are continuing to engage with stakeholders to further refine the Government’s

proposals on animal sentience. As part of this we are continuing to assess which

animals should be covered by those proposals.

Chemicals: EU Law

Mary Creagh: [235265]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times

the UK has requested a quicker action on a chemical restriction, including additional rapid

phase-out deadlines, that have been blocked by (a) other Member States and (b) the

European Chemicals Agency.


In 2012 the UK proposed that the substance decaBDE should be classified as a

substance of very high concern (SVHC), which would be followed by authorisation

procedures to limit its use. DecaBDE was listed as an SVHC, as proposed by the UK,

but the EU decided not to proceed with authorisation procedures, and took an

alternative route of restriction instead. The restriction was not adopted until 2017. The



EU’s decision to opt for a restriction rather than continuing with the authorisation

process resulted in a delay in regulatory action.

Donkeys and Horses: Animal Welfare

Ben Bradley: [233564]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps

his Department has taken to reduce horse and donkey abandonment.

David Rutley:

Defra is keen to ensure that we uphold our high standards of welfare including in

relation to equines.

The Control of Horses Act 2015 means landowners and occupiers can remove

horses and other equines, including donkeys and their hybrids, that are unlawfully left

on their land and immediately take them to a place of safety. Landowners must notify

the local police within 24 hours of doing so, as well as the equine’s owner if

identifiable.

Local authorities have powers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to investigate

concerns about the ill-treatment or neglect of animals, and any person or

organisation, such as the RSPCA, can take forward a private prosecution under the

2006 Act if there is sufficient evidence.

In addition, from October 2020 it will be mandatory for all owners to microchip their

horses, ponies and donkeys. The new Central Equine Database will then allow local

authorities and police to track down the owners of abandoned horses and ensure that

appropriate action is taken, and the animals are given the care they deserve. It will

also mean lost or stolen horses will be reunited with their owners more easily.

Environment Protection

Mr Nigel Evans: [234112]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he

plans to take facilitate cooperation between the four countries of the UK on shared

environmental challenges after the UK leaves the EU.


Across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we have a shared interest in

protecting our environment. Ministers are in regular discussion with counterparts in

the devolved administrations. On 18 February this year we agreed to establish the

Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This Group provides

central coordination and promotes greater collaboration in areas of shared interest,

including the environment, between the relevant portfolio ministers in the UK

administrations.

When we leave the EU, many of the returning powers will pass to the devolved

administrations. In some policy areas it will be necessary to agree common

frameworks in respect of these returning powers. We are working with the devolved



administrations to develop these in accordance with the principles agreed at the Joint

Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) on 16 October 2017. These principles are

outlined in the Joint Ministerial Communique:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/joint-ministerial-committee-communique-16-

october-2017. Progress in developing the frameworks was reported to Parliament on

7 February this year: www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-second-european-

union-withdrawal-act-and-common-frameworks-report.

Food: Standards

Andrew Rosindell: [233543]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans

to tailor food standards to (a) serve UK trade interests and (b) keep standards high.

David Rutley:

The Government is committed to ensuring high food standards at home and

promoting high standards internationally. We have been clear that any future trade

agreements must work for consumers, farmers, and businesses in the UK.

The UK has world leading standards of food safety and quality, backed by a rigorous

legislative framework; we will maintain these high standards once the UK leaves the

European Union.

Formaldehyde: Trading Standards

Ruth Cadbury: [233635]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural affairs, what assessment

he has made of the effectiveness of the trading standards regime in protecting

consumers from exposure to formaldehyde.


There is a ban on the sale of the substance formaldehyde and its sale in mixtures

when present at or over 0.1% (by weight). In addition, the use of formaldehyde will be

further restricted in 2023.

Proposals for a further legal restriction to control formaldehyde releases from articles

(which would include wood-based panels) are being considered under REACH.

Currently, there is a voluntary agreement to produce wooden panels within these

exposure levels and over 95% of EU companies are compliant.

Local authority trading standards departments are responsible for consumer

protection issues under REACH; this includes decisions on funding and prioritisation.

The Government has not specifically assessed the effectiveness of this regime in

relation to products containing formaldehyde.

http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/joint-ministerial-committee-communique-16-october-2017



http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-second-european-union-withdrawal-act-and-common-frameworks-report





Horses: Imports

Angela Smith: [233513]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the

Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System will enable horses to be traced post-

import and check-tested.

David Rutley:

If we leave the EU without a deal, horse movements into the UK from countries

outside the EU will have to be notified before arrival in the UK using the Import of

Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS). Those horses will need to

enter the UK via an appropriate Border Inspection Post in the UK for checks.

Notifications before arrival will also be required for horses coming into the UK from

the EU, with the exception of horses travelling from the Republic of Ireland which will

be exempt.

For an initial period, these notifications for horses travelling from the EU will not be

raised through IPAFFS. The importer should download and complete a notification

form from www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-import-of-animals-and-products-

food-feed-notify-authorities

This form should then be sent to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for all

imports coming into England, Wales and Scotland, or to the Department of

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) for movements into Northern

Ireland.

Those authorities will issue a unique notification number, which is required to

complete the health certificate that must accompany consignments. Health

certificates are available here: www.gov.uk/government/collections/eu-import-health-

certificates

APHA and DAERA will, after the arrival of the horses in the UK, carry out risk-based

checks at the final point of destination as they do now.

From autumn 2019, notifications will be made using IPAFFS.

Detailed guidance for importers is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-

animals-animal-products-and-high-risk-food-and-feed-not-of-animal-origin-after-eu-

exit

Livestock: Exports

Sir Desmond Swayne: [235233]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has

to prohibit the export of livestock for (a) slaughter and (b) fattening after the UK leaves

the EU.

David Rutley:

I refer the Hon. Member to the reply given to the Hon. Member for Southend West,

Sir David Amess, on 8 March 2019 to PQ 229590.


http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-import-of-animals-and-products-food-feed-notify-authorities



http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/eu-import-health-certificates



http://www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-animals-animal-products-and-high-risk-food-and-feed-not-of-animal-origin-after-eu-exit





Rural Areas: Bus Services

Alex Sobel: [234765]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding

UK National Park Authorities has provided to rural bus services in each year since 2010.


National Park Authorities are not strategic transport authorities and do not have

statutory responsibility for the provision of transport. Defra does not hold information

on how much funding National Park Authorities have provided to rural bus services in

each year since 2010.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Golan Heights


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the future of the Golan Heights; and if

he will make a statement.

Mark Field:

We have not recently discussed our concerns with the US Government. In our

statement on 22 March we reiterated our position that the UK views the Golan

Heights as territory occupied by Israel. Annexation of territory by force is prohibited

under international law, including the UN Charter. The UK did not recognise Israel's

annexation in 1981 and we have no plans to change our position.

USA: State Visits

Caroline Lucas: [234179]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the

Answer of 17 January 2019 to Question 206775, on USA: State Visits, when his

Department plans to publish the cost of President Trump's Guest of Government visit on

the gov.uk website.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The figures for the visit were published on the gov.uk website on Friday, 22 March.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

5G: Health Hazards

Alex Chalk: [234268]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his

Department has made of the effect of the roll-out of 5G technology on people's health.





Jackie Doyle-Price:

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and health evidence reviews have been prepared by

scientific expert groups in the United Kingdom and around the world. The

independent Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR) published their

report in the UK in 2012 and the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on

Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) published their report in

2015. The World Health Organization is presently preparing a review. The AGNIR

report is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/radiofrequency-electromagnetic-fields-

health-effects

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/radiofrequency-electromagnetic-fields-health-effects



The SCENIHR report is available at the following link:

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/scientific_committees/docs/citizens_emf_

en.pdf

Based on the accumulated evidence and reviews, Public Health England (PHE)

advises that the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing

Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) should be adopted and there is no convincing

evidence that EMF exposures below the ICNIRP guideline levels cause adverse

health effects.

PHE has committed to keeping the emerging evidence under review and to preparing

another comprehensive review when sufficient new evidence has accumulated.

Asthma: Prescriptions


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the clinical rationale is to

charge people with asthma for their prescription charges when people with many other

long-term conditions are exempt from paying.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made

of the effect of prescription charges on young people with asthma.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of

the number of people with asthma who have missed their medication due to the cost of

the prescription.



of the effect of prescription charges on the incidence of asthma attacks in England.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department has made no assessment on the effect of prescription charges on

the young people with asthma and on the incidence of asthma attacks in England.

The Department has made no estimate of the number of people with asthma who

have missed their medication due to the cost of a prescription. Extensive

arrangements are in place to help people afford NHS prescriptions. These include a

broad range of prescription charge exemptions, for which someone with asthma may

qualify.

The Department has no current plans to amend these exemptions, including the list

of medical conditions that provides exemption from prescription charges. Children

under 16, and students under the age of 19 and in qualifying full-time education are

also exempt from prescription charges. People on a low income, who do not qualify

for an exemption, may be eligible for full or partial help with prescription charges

through application to the NHS Low Income Scheme.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/scientific_committees/docs/citizens_emf_en.pdf







To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption or the NHS

Low Income Scheme, prescription prepayment certificates are available. A holder of a

12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.

Barts Health NHS Trust: Private Finance Initiative

Stephen Timms: [235735]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has

plans to provide PFI relief to Barts Health NHS Trust.

Stephen Hammond:

Barts Health NHS Trust has been placed into the Financial Special Measures (FSM).

This is a regulatory action, which uses NHS Improvement’s legal powers to require

National Health Service providers to comply with its actions and/or expectations.

Each NHS provider placed into FSM will undergo a rapid review, and agree a

financial recovery plan. Specialist teams, led by an improvement director, will oversee

intensive, accelerated action to bring about financial improvement including support

from peer providers where appropriate.

Where trusts in FSM do require access to cash funding to continue the delivery of

affordable, safe, quality healthcare, the Department’s interim funding regime ensures

that providers in financial difficulty have timely access to cash financing to protect the

continuity of services for patients. A new Financial Recovery Fund will be directly

targeted at those trusts with the most financial need.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Nicky Morgan: [234156]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the debate of 24

January 2019 on Appropriate ME Treatment, what recent discussions his Department has

had with NICE on the potential merits of fast-tracking the release of the revised NICE

guideline on myalgic encephalomyelitis due to be published in October 2020.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the debate of 24

January 2019 on Appropriate ME Treatment, what recent discussions his Department has

had with NICE on the potential merits of issuing an interim warning on the potential

dangers of graded exercise therapy as a treatment for myalgic encephalomyelitis prior to

issuing its revised guideline myalgic encephalomyelitis in October 2020.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department has had no such discussions. The National Institute for Health and

Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and responsible for developing its

guidelines in accordance with its published methods and processes. NICE expects to

publish its final updated guideline in October 2020 with a consultation on draft

guidance starting in April 2020.




Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Training


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has

had with medical training bodies on ensuring that training programs for doctors, nurses

and other health professionals include the most up to date guidance on diagnosis and

appropriate treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Stephen Hammond:

There have been no recent discussions between Departmental Ministers and training

bodies for doctors, nurses or other health professionals about myalgic

encephalomyelitis.

National Health Service employers are responsible for ensuring staff they employ are

trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

Sir John Hayes: [234083]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department

has made of the (a) number and (b) percentage of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

who have access to insulin pumps funded by the NHS.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The information requested is not centrally held.

Sir John Hayes: [234084]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to

ensure his Department is (a) aware of new technologies for diabetes treatment and (b)

enables the timely (i) funding and (ii) adoption of those technologies.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

In the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England committed to both improving the pipeline

of innovation and speeding up the uptake and spread, so that proven and affordable

innovations get to patients faster. This will include setting up a new advisory service

for innovators, linked to the Academic Health Science Networks and bringing together

in one place all ‘horizon-scanning’ activities. The uptake of proven, affordable

innovations will be accelerated through a new Medtech funding mandate for health

technology products which have been assessed as cost saving by the National

Institute for Health and Care Excellence.




General Practitioners: Training

Jonathan Ashworth: [234234]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many training places for

general practice were (a) commissioned and (b) filled in each of the last five years.

Caroline Dinenage:

The number of speciality general practitioner training places commissioned and filled

in the last five years in England is attached.

Attachments:

1. PQ234234 attached data [PQ234234 table format.docx]

Genetics: Health Services

Mr David Davis: [234089]


ensure progress in research on genomic healthcare in the UK.

Caroline Dinenage:

Genomics is changing the future of health and medicine, with the potential to

underpin a new era of precision healthcare. We have led the way globally with

landmark initiatives such as the 100,000 Genomes Project, the largest national

sequencing project anywhere in the world.

The creation of the Genomic Medicine Service in the National Health Service, the first

of its kind in the world, is vital to realising the potential benefits of genomics both for

direct care and for research. As the evidence grows, we will further embed genomics

into routine healthcare and make the United Kingdom the number one destination to

research and develop the latest scientific advances in genomic healthcare.

Over the next five years, the UK will aim to sequence five million genomes, including

at least one million whole genomes from the NHS and UK Biobank. This puts the UK

at the forefront of global ambition in genomics.

In February, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Innovation (Baroness

Blackwood of North Oxford), announced that a new National Genomic Healthcare

Strategy will developed to set out how the whole genomics community can work

together to make the UK the global leader in genomic healthcare.

Health Services: Cambridgeshire

Sir Oliver Heald: [234650]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an

assessment of the effect of the speed of growth within Cambridgeshire on local health

services.




Sir Oliver Heald: [234651]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the current five year

funding formula addresses actual as well as forecast growth in the Cambridgeshire and

Peterborough CCG area.

Stephen Hammond:

NHS England is responsible for decisions on the weighted capitation formula used to

allocate resources between clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). This process is

independent of Government. NHS England takes advice from the Advisory

Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA), a group of academics and other experts.

NHS England published five-year CCG allocations 2019/20 to 2023/24 on 8 February

2019 at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/ccg-allocations-2019-20-to-2023-24-core-

services/

In making these allocations, NHS England accepted all recommendations made by

ACRA, including changes in the way population estimates and projections are used.

NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s revenue allocation is based on the actual

average registered population in the 12 months to October 2018, which was 967,902.

Using population growth rates estimated by the Office for National Statistics, the

allocations include an estimated population growth to 973,472 in 2019-20 (0.62%

growth). We continue this approach throughout the allocations period so that by

2023-24 we assume a population of 992,432, equivalent to an average growth of

0.50% per annum over the period.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements



ensure reciprocal healthcare arrangements are in place with EU countries after the UK’s

leaves the EU.

Stephen Hammond:

On 19 March 2019 I laid a written statement (HCWS1429) on the Department’s plans

for the continuity of reciprocal healthcare arrangements in the event we exit the

European Union without a deal.

This statement sets out that subject to Parliament ratifying the Withdrawal

Agreement, in a deal scenario current reciprocal healthcare rights will continue during

the implementation period until 31 December 2020. The Withdrawal Agreement and

European Free Trade Area (EFTA) Agreements also give longer-term reciprocal

healthcare rights to those who are living in or previously worked in the other country

on exit day. This will include access to healthcare through the European Health

Insurance Card scheme.

The reciprocal healthcare system requires reciprocity from the EU or individual

Member States and cannot be protected unilaterally. That is why we have proposed


https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/ccg-allocations-2019-20-to-2023-24-core-services/




to EU Member States and EFTA states that we should agree arrangements that

maintain the existing healthcare arrangements in a ‘no deal’ scenario until 31

December 2020, with the aim of minimising disruption to United Kingdom nationals’

and EU and EFTA state citizens’ healthcare provision. This would mean that we will

continue to pay healthcare costs for current or former UK residents for whom the UK

has responsibility and who are living or working in or visiting the EU, and that EU and

EFTA states can fund healthcare for their citizens in the UK. We are hopeful that we

will reach such agreements.

We have published guidance profiles at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/overseas-living-in-guides

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/healthcare-when-travelling-

abroad/travelling-in-the-european-economic-area-eea-and-switzerland/

We will update the guidance with further developments. Whenever travelling abroad,

individuals are always responsible for ensuring they have travel insurance. It is

already the case that we advise people to obtain comprehensive travel insurance

when working, studying or travelling to the EU and the rest of the world. This will

remain our advice in all circumstances.

HIV Infection: Drugs

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [234104]


ensure the expansion of the PrEP Impact Trial outside of London as soon as possible.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

NHS England announced on 28 February that the PrEP Impact Trial will be expanded

and that new trial places will begin to be released following agreement at the pre-

exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) Oversight Board. Information on the trial is available to

view at the following links:

www.prepimpacttrial.org.uk

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2019/02/prep-impact-trial-to-be-expanded/

Before finalising arrangements and releasing places, participating clinics and local

authority commissioners were asked to confirm if they had the capacity to take on

additional places. Around 80% of participating clinics have confirmed they have the

capacity to accept additional trial places and most of these sites have also received

approval from their local authority commissioners to proceed.

In the meantime, for trial sites outside of London, the research team will now make

rapid arrangements to release the extra places when all necessary approvals have

been obtained.



https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/healthcare-when-travelling-abroad/travelling-in-the-european-economic-area-eea-and-switzerland/




http://www.prepimpacttrial.org.uk/

http://www.prepimpacttrial.org.uk/



Neil Coyle: [234282]


of the potential merits of using e-services in London for the proposed expansion of the

PrEP Impact Trial.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

E-services have potential to help support a sustainable expansion of the PrEP Impact

Trial in London. London authorities are currently in discussion with the PrEP Impact

Trial team about how best to utilise the potential option of online testing for trial

participants.

Intensive Care: Hampshire


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his

Department has made of the quality of critical care treatment in North Hampshire.

Stephen Hammond:

The Care Quality Commission’s most recent report rated Basingstoke and North

Hampshire Hospital critical care services as ‘good’ for providing safe, effective,

responsive and well-led services. The service was outstanding for caring.

NHS: Innovation



improve technology in the NHS.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Our Tech Vision ‘The future of healthcare: our vision for digital, data and technology

in health and care’ published on 17 October 2018, sets out our plans to improve

technology in the delivery of health and care.

We have created NHSX to drive technology use and innovation in health and care to

give patients and staff the technology they need. NHSX will work with the National

Health Service and the wider digital economy to build world-class digital services.

NHS: Negligence


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department

has made of the potential cost of clinical negligence claims to NHS Resolution over the

next three years.

Caroline Dinenage:

NHS Resolution handles clinical negligence claims on behalf of National Health

Service organisations and independent sector providers of NHS care in England.





NHS Resolution have provided the following information which covers spend

specifically attributed to clinical negligence, principally pay-outs pertaining to claims

received under the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts. The figures also include

clinical negligence pay-outs relating to Department-funded indemnity schemes in

respect of legacy bodies such as primary care trusts and regional health authorities.

Costs in the context of HM Treasury-defined budgeting arrangements are defined as

the amount expected to be paid in relation to settling claims in that financial year,

including damages payments, claimant legal costs, and defence legal costs, and are

shown in the following table.

The costs reported do not include NHS Resolution administration or costs incurred

locally by NHS providers in dealing with claims such as their own administration

costs.

CLINICAL

NEGLIGENCE

SCHEME FOR

TRUSTS (£

MILLION)

DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH

SCHEME FOR

CLINICAL

LIABILITIES (£

MILLION)

EXISTING

LIABILITIES

SCHEME (£

MILLION)

REGIONAL

HEALTH

AUTHORITIES

SCHEME (£

MILLION)

TOTAL (£

MILLION)

2019/20 2,300 96 36 1 2,433

2020/21 2,410 90 35 1 2,536

2021/22 2,710 85 34 1 2,830

Notes:

The costs have been estimated on the basis of a personal injury discount rate (PIDR)

of minus 0.75%. However, The Civil Liability Act 2018 includes a new way of setting

the PIDR rate. A review of the PIDR rate has been announced and therefore the

figures provided here may change.

NHS Resolution reviews its five-year forecasts annually and any changes in the

underpinning actuarial assumptions are likely to result in revised projections. The

figures quoted should therefore be considered as broad estimates based on latest

available information and subject to change in the future.

The figures provided in this reply do not include claims brought against general

practitioners.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his

Department has had with the Ministry of Justice and Civil Justice Council on reforming

the tort of negligence in medical malpractice to address the rising cost of clinical

negligence claims on NHS Resolution.


Caroline Dinenage:

In 2017 the National Audit Office (NAO) published a report which challenged the

Government to publish a co-ordinated strategy to reduce clinical negligence costs.

The Department of Health and Social Care is working jointly with the Ministry of

Justice, the Treasury, Cabinet Office, NHS Resolution and others, to respond to the

challenge from the NAO in their ‘Managing the Costs of Clinical Negligence in Trusts’

report to publish a co-ordinated strategy to reduce clinical negligence costs. We are

looking at all the drivers of costs, as challenged by the NAO, and a wide range of

options are being considered. We will update the House when we are in a position to

do so.

The Civil Justice Council (CJC) is expected to report shortly on proposals to extend

fixed recoverable costs (FRC) in clinical negligence cases up to £25,000 damages.

The Government will consult before implementing any extension of FRC following the

CJC report.

NHS: Staff

Jonathan Ashworth: [234273]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care what estimate he has made of

the average cost to the NHS of employing one (a) nurse, (b) midwife, (c) doctor and (d)

GP.

Stephen Hammond:

The Department’s estimates of the average cost to the National Health Service

employing a midwife, a nurse and a doctor at a full-time equivalent (FTE) are set out

in the following table. These costs include total earnings, national insurance and

pension contributions.

ESTIMATED AVERAGE PAY BILL PER FTE (2017-

18)

Doctors £102,542

Nurses and Health Visitors £43,780

Midwives £47,381

Source: Departmental Headline Hospital and Community Health Services Pay Bill

Metrics, which are based primarily on earnings statistics published by NHS Digital,

supplemented by employer pension and national insurance contributions estimates

informed by unpublished and unvalidated data from the Electronic Staff Record Data

Warehouse.

Pay bill per FTE levels reflect average experience and pay levels as well as non-

basic earnings such as overtime which can fluctuate. These figures do not include


any other costs associated with employing or training that member of staff such as

recruitment costs.

General practitioner contractors are not employed by the NHS but hold one of three

contracts (General Medical Services, Personal Medical Services or Alternative

Provider Medical Services) with NHS England to undertake work for the NHS.

Pregnancy: Alcoholic Drinks

Bill Esterson: [235768]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Public Health

England's guidance, Health Matters: Identifying and offering brief advice to tobacco and

alcohol users, published on 21 March 2019, for what reasons that guidance does not

make reference to the risk of drinking alcohol in pregnancy.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

‘Health Matters: identifying and offering brief advice to tobacco and alcohol users’

guidance supports service providers in implementing the screening and advice for

tobacco and alcohol use in inpatient settings commissioning for quality and

innovation (CQUIN) scheme. Health Matters can be viewed at the following link:

https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2019/03/21/health-matters-identifying-and-

offering-brief-advice-to-tobacco-and-alcohol-users/

The national CQUIN scheme offers National Health Service providers the chance to

identify and support adult inpatients who smoke and adult inpatients who are drinking

above the United Kingdom chief medical officers’ (CMOs’) low risk drinking

guidelines.

Travel: Vaccination


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Government plans to

publish the outcome of the Public Health England review into the provision of travel

vaccinations on the NHS.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The joint Departmental, NHS Business Services Authority, NHS England and Public

Health England review of vaccinations for travel purposes has concluded. The

review’s conclusions, and the clinical and public health rationale for offering free

vaccinations on the National Health Service for cholera, hepatitis A, polio and typhoid

when recommended for the purposes of travel, will be released in summer 2019.

Current policy on vaccinations for the purposes of travel remains the same.


https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2019/03/21/health-matters-identifying-and-offering-brief-advice-to-tobacco-and-alcohol-users/




HOME OFFICE

Asylum: Sexuality

Stephen Doughty: [235769]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review the

content of the Asylum Policy Instruction: Sexual Orientation in Asylum Claims plan.

Caroline Nokes:

We remain committed to granting protection to all claimants who are found to be at

risk of persecution or serious harm in their country of origin because of their sexual

orientation or gender identity. The Home Office guidance for caseworkers on

processing asylum claims on the basis of sexual orientation will be reviewed later this

year, following the publication of guidance for caseworkers on asylum claims based

on gender identity and expression, which is scheduled for publication by summer

2019.

Borders: France


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had

with this counterpart in the French Government on (a) travel and transport delays caused

by recent industrial action at the French border and (b) how many additional customs

officials on Eurostar services will be needed after the UK leaves the EU to avoid delays.

Caroline Nokes:

The Home Office has been working with the cross-government Border Delivery

Group to engage with authorities, port users and operators domestically and across

the EU to understand what the synergies and constraints are in different locations,

and to discuss how to ensure locations are operationally ready to meet with

Government requirements when the UK leaves the EU.

The Government wants to see cross-Channel traffic and goods continue to move as

freely as possible, in any scenario both deal or no deal.

As the application of additional customs checks by the EU is outside of our control,

the Government has undertaken a range of preparatory measures to mitigate

potential impacts and ensure that goods can continue to flow into and out of the UK

as freely as possible.

Crimes of Violence


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to reduce

violent crime in England.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to reduce

violent crime in Yorkshire and the Humber.





Victoria Atkins:

In April 2018 the Government published the Serious Violence Strategy which sets out

a comprehensive set of 61 commitments and actions we are taking to tackle violent

crime. This included launching a £22m Early Intervention Youth Fund which is

already supporting 29 projects in England and Wales, a national knife crime media

campaign - #knife free; a new National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to tackle

this violent and exploitative criminal ac-tivity; and the Offensive Weapons Bill to

strengthen legislation on firearms, knives and corrosive substances.

On 2 October 2018 the Home Secretary announced further important measures

including a consultation on new legal duty to support a multi-agency approach to

preventing and tackling serious violence, a new long term £200 million Youth

Endowment Fund, and an Independent Review of Drug Misuse.

Most recently, on 13 March the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that an

additional £100 million funding for serious violence in 2019/20 to help the police’s

immediate response to the rise in serious knife crime, and also to support investment

in Violence Reduction Units, bringing together a range of agencies including health,

education, social services and others, to develop a multi-agency approach in

preventing serious violence altogether. It is im-portant that we recognise that greater

law enforcement on its own will not reduce serious violence and that we must

continue to focus on prevention.

Specifically, in relation to Yorkshire and the Humber, we have awarded £2.7m from

the Early Intervention Youth Fund to support different projects. We have also

provided £127,521 through the anti-knife crime Community Fund in 2018/19 to seven

local projects. Finally, all four police forces in the region took part in a national week

of action to tackle knife crime, called Op-eration Sceptre, from 11-18 March 2019

along with all other police forces in England and Wales.

Cybercrime

Jo Platt: [235802]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse

is of the Government’s Cyber Aware communication campaign.

Mr Ben Wallace:

The Cyber Aware campaign is delivered by the Home Office. It is funded by the

National Cyber Security Programme, which is administered by the Cabi-net Office.

The Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy is underpinned by £1.9 billion of

investment.

Immigrants: Detainees


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to

minimise the length of time migrants are kept in detention.



Caroline Nokes:

The Government’s strategic approach to detention recognises that the deprivation of

liberty for immigration purposes is a significant use of state power, with life changing

implications for those involved. Detention is only used when it is necessary and

where we have a realistic prospect of removal in a reasonable timescale. At any one

point, 95% of those liable to be detained are managed in the community, with the

vast majority of those who are detained under immigration powers spending only

short periods in detention.

The latest published statistics also show that in the year ending December 2018,

there was a 30% reduction in the number of individuals detained when compared with

a year earlier. This demonstrates our commitment to detaining only when it is

necessary.

A series of detention safeguards have been introduced since 2016, with more support

and focus for those considered potentially vulnerable. Included within these

safeguards are the Detention Gatekeeper to make detention decisions independent

of caseworkers. Case Progression Panels which review the appropriateness of

detention, case progression and adherence to the various detention policies of those

detained for 3 months and at 3 month intervals thereafter; Detention and Case

Progression Reviews to ensure case progression remains at the forefront of ongoing

detention decisions; Automatic Bail referrals at four months detention providing an

independent consideration of detention by the Judiciary; and the introduction of the

Adults at Risk policy in September 2016.

We are currently exploring additional detention safeguards, including further

alternatives to detention; conducting a two month automatic bail referral pilot and the

introduction of external independence to Case Progression Panels for those who

have spent 6 months or more in detention.

Migrant Workers: Health Services

Sir Roger Gale: [235731]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure

an adequate supply of hospital ancillary workers and care assistants from (a) EU member

states and (b) non-EU countries to staff (i) the NHS and (ii) residential and nursing homes

after the UK leaves the EU.

Caroline Nokes:

The transitional route for temporary workers will be open to anyone from qualifying

countries, wishing to fill positions at any skill level, for up to 12 months. We do not

intend to impose a cap on the number of people wishing to use the route.


Public Transport: Security


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had

with the Secretary of State for Transport on the level of security provision on public

transport since the recent tram attach in Utrecht.

Mr Ben Wallace:

There is a multi-layered approach to transport security in Great Britain to ensure that

appropriate and proportionate measures are taken to protect the public.

The Secretary of State for Transport keeps the security of the transport system under

regular review in light of the assessed threat to different transport modes, working in

close partnership with the police and industry operators.

Radicalism: Social Media


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has

had with (a) social media companies and (b) other Cabinet colleagues on the potential

viability of a 24-hour take down rule on social media content to tackle extremist content.

Mr Ben Wallace:

The Government has been clear that tech companies need to act more quickly to

remove all forms of terrorist content. There can be no safe spaces for terrorists to

promote and share their extreme views.

Home Office analysis shows that approximately a third of all links to Daesh

propaganda are disseminated within an hour of upload. As a result, we work closely

with industry to encourage them to proactively remove terrorist content within one

hour of upload, secure the prevention of re-uploads and ultimately prevent new

content from being made available to users in the first place.

The Home Secretary visited the West Coast of the US in June and November 2018,

where he continued to press the companies to increase the use of technology to

automate the detection and removal of content where possible. At the G7 Toronto

2018 the Security Minister met with leaders of major CSP’s.

It is not the Government's practice to provide details of Ministerial meetings which are

held as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

Visas: France

Sir Vince Cable: [235733]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has

had with his French counterpart on that country's visa plans for UK business travellers.

Caroline Nokes:

Policy on short stay visitors, such as business visitors, is an EU competence, rather

than a Member State competence.




The EU has proposed that UK nationals would be able to enter the EU visa-free for

short periods after the country’s exit, provided EU nationals enjoy the same

conditions when travelling to the UK.

Whether we leave the EU with or without a deal, the Home Secretary has announced

that EEA and Swiss nationals will be able to continue to travel to the UK for holidays

or short-term trips, without needing a visa.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Members: Official Hospitality

Dr David Drew: [233439]

To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of

Commons Commission, pursuant to the holding Answer of 17 January 2019 to Question

208188, how much money is now owed by (a) hon. Members and (b) former hon

Members for unpaid catering and hospitality bills at the House of Commons (i) in total,

and (ii) as a proportion of the turnover of catering and hospitality in the House of

Commons; and what steps the Commission is taking to ensure the collection of those

debts.

Tom Brake:

On 17 January a holding answer was provided while the information was being

prepared. A substantive answer was provided on 30 January and is available at:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-

statements/written-question/Commons/2019-01-14/208188/

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: [234718]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant

to the Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 232023 and the Answer of 4 February 2019

to Question 214563 on Buildings: Insulation, whether his Department has analysed the

non-Aluminium Composite Material samples held at the Building Research Establishment

to establish how many are High Pressure Laminate-B with stonewool.

Kit Malthouse:

[Holding answer 25 March 2019]: The screening programme set up after the Grenfell

fire tragedy was focussed on identifying and the types of aluminium composite

materials received. 1,421 samples of other materials were also submitted but these

were not suitable for the screening tests. A detailed explanation of the screening tests

is set out in this note published in June 2017.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/explanatory-note-on-safety-checks-and-

testing.


https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-01-14/208188/




The non-Aluminuim Composite Materials (ACM) samples were catalogued but it is

not possible given their size and condition to reliably identify and classify each

sample. These samples would not provide reliable or representative indication of the

materials currently present on the existing building stock, this is because only those

buildings with ACM cladding systems were asked to submit samples.

I refer also to my answer of 24 January to question UIN 210599.



to the Answer of 11 March 2019 to Question 229147 on Buildings: Insulation, whether his

Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of other test facilities with

available test rigs for the referenced test to take place.

Kit Malthouse:

[Holding answer 26 March 2019]: The contract for this BS 8414 test is subject to an

open competitive tender. Any properly accredited test facilities could be used.



the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 214560 on Buildings: Insulation, whether the

further testing to check the fire safety of building materials that his Department is

commissioning with the Building Research Establishment has started.

Kit Malthouse:

[Holding answer 26 March 2019]: The laboratory phase of this project is now

underway. Once calibration is completed, testing should start in the first week of April.




Department has carried out an assessment of the number of fire barriers installed on

buildings in the UK.

Kit Malthouse:

Information on provision of cavity barriers and other fire barriers installed would be

expected to be set out in building plans submitted to building control bodies. The

Department does not hold this information centrally so has made no such

assessment.




Department plans to test standard class High-Pressure Laminate cladding (Euroclass D)

with stonewool insulation.

Kit Malthouse:

The Department is undertaking a test of a Euroclass B high pressure laminate panel

as information from industry has suggested that this is the most commonly used type





of high pressure laminate panel. The Department has no plans at present to carry out

a test of Euroclass D high pressure laminate panels with stonewool insulation behind

them but will consider further tests as necessary.




Department consulted (a) Dr Barbara Lane or (b) Professor Jose Torero, expert

witnesses to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, on the design of the test.

Kit Malthouse:

The Department has not consulted Dr Barbara Lane or Professor Jose Torero on the

design of the test. The test has been designed in line with standard industry practice.



to the Answer of 20 March 2019 to Question 232574 on Buildings: Insulation, how many

fire barriers per storey are installed in line with normal industry practice.

Kit Malthouse:

As set out in my answer of 20 March to Question UIN 232574, fire barriers will be

arranged similarly to those used in previous BS 8414 tests commissioned by the

Department; the details of which are available on the building safety programme web

page at www.gov.uk/guidance/the-building-safety-programme. As with previous tests

we work with industry bodies to ensure that the design is representative of industry

practice.

Non-domestic Rates

Andrea Jenkyns: [235353]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what

plans the Government has to lower business rates.

Rishi Sunak:

Since 2016, Government has announced a range of business rates reforms and

measures. These include raising the threshold for Small Business Rate Relief, linking

the multiplier to CPI rather than RPI inflation, a new retail discount worth an

estimated £1 billion, and a range of other smaller reliefs. In total, these measures are

estimated to be worth over £13 billion between 2019-20 and 2023-24.

Refuges: Domestic Abuse


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what

assessment he has made of the availability of refuges for victims of domestic abuse in (a)

Coventry and (b) the West Midlands.





Mrs Heather Wheeler:

The Government is committed to supporting all victims of domestic abuse.

My Department does not hold information on the availability of refuges for victims of

domestic abuse in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands. However, I am pleased to

confirm that Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council led the West Midlands in

successful pan-regional bids for both the 2016-18 £20 million and the 2018-20 £22

million funds, building upon their regional partnership, increase refuge provision and

remove barriers to accessing refuge. Through the 2016-18 fund the West Midlands

was awarded £639,253 over the two years, including receiving a share of the £1.1

million top up funding. In the current 2018-20 fund the West Midlands has been

awarded £638,849, with the first instalment being released December 2019 and the

remaining to be released in the new financial year.

My department has also carried out a review of how domestic abuse services are

locally commissioned and funded across England. We have worked closely with

sector partners, drawing on their data, expertise and knowledge and taken account of

the findings of an independent audit of provision of domestic abuse services across

England, led by Ipsos MORI. Following the review, we intend to consult on potential

measures for sustainable delivery of support for victims and their children in

accommodation-based services for domestic abuse across England shortly.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Armed Conflict: Disease Control


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department

is taking to lower rates of water-borne diseases in conflict areas throughout the world.

Harriett Baldwin:

Since 2015 DFID has supported 24.9 million people living in fragile states to access

clean water and sanitation to lower the rates of water-borne diseases. This includes

16.7 million beneficiaries living in states with a high level of fragility, such as Syria

and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In Yemen, we are bringing together the science community, including the UK Met

Office, US academics and NASA (the US National Aeronautics and Space

Administration), with operational partners on the ground to improve the forecasting of

where cholera is likely to occur, to enable earlier preparedness and action.

Burma: Human Trafficking


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment her

Department has made of the extent of sex trafficking between Myanmar and China; and if

she will make a statement.



Harriett Baldwin:

Ending modern day slavery in all its forms, including sex trafficking and forced

marriage, is a priority for DFID Burma. We address this through support to the

Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT), to which the UK has provided £187

million since 2010. DFID undertook a slavery assessment across Burma in 2018. As

a result, we tripled funding through LIFT to tackle modern slavery to £40m.

We are currently developing a new programme addressing forced marriage which will

work with mothers of daughters aged 10-18 in highly vulnerable areas, including

displaced people’s camps.

Developing Countries: Children

Stephen Twigg: [235227]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she has made an

assessment of the potential merits of introducing a child marker scheme to track the

money that her Department spends on interventions targeted at children; and if she will

make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin:

DFID provides significant support to children in both development and humanitarian

contexts through programming across a range of sectors including child protection,

social protection, education, nutrition, health and economic development.

The introduction of new markers in the Official Development Assistance (ODA)

system is agreed by consensus of all members of the OECD Development

Assistance Committee (DAC). Currently the OECD DAC has paused the introduction

of new markers to carry out a review of the marker system with a view to aligning

ODA closer to the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. We will await the

outcome of this review before further considering an appropriate method to track this

issue.

Gaza: Reconstruction

Richard Burden: [234663]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has

had with the (a) UN, (b) Palestinian Authority and (c) Israeli Government on the (i) 2018

review of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism and (ii) implementation of the

recommendations of that review.

Harriett Baldwin:

The UK values the role of the United Nations (UN) in supporting Gaza’s

reconstruction following widespread destruction in the 2014 conflict through the Gaza

Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM), which helps ensure that essential reconstruction

materials reach civilians. Following the joint review of the GRM in 2018 the UN, Israel

and the Palestinian Authority (PA) began implementing the report’s recommendations

in January this year. UK officials most recently discussed the review of the GRM and

the implementation of its recommendations with the UN in January 2019.



The UK regularly raises movement and access restrictions in Gaza with both the

Government of Israel and with the PA. DFID officials most recently raised the review

of the GRM and the implementation of the review’s recommendations with the Israeli

Government in February 2019. More broadly, restrictions in Gaza were most recently

raised with the PA in January 2019. The UK will continue to call on the Israeli

government to ease access restrictions further and for Israel and the Palestinian

Authority to work together to ensure a durable solution for Gaza.

Tuberculosis: Research

Dame Louise Ellman: [234697]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has

made of the effectiveness of the UK's contribution to global TB research and role in

advancing the further development of diagnostics, improved treatments and a TB

vaccine; and if she will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin:

The UK Government is a major investor in tuberculosis (TB) research, for the

development of diagnostics, improved treatments and TB vaccines. The UK also

supports applied health research, to strengthen health systems, to ensure effective

delivery of health services so that new products, once available, can be used

appropriately.

To date, DFID support has been instrumental in the development of five new

diagnostics for TB, including GeneXpert, which is used routinely in the UK NHS, has

reduced the time taken to diagnose drug-sensitive and drug resistant TB from several

weeks to a few hours. DFID support also enabled the development of the first

paediatric TB medicine, which is now available in 80 countries across the globe.

Yemen: Internally Displaced People

Dan Carden: [235787]


is taking provide support to internally displaced people in Yemen.

Penny Mordaunt:

Last year the UK provided protection assistance, including primary healthcare

services, legal assistance and support in response to sexual violence to over 200,000

internally displaced people (IDPs) through our funding to the International

Organisation for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

On 24 February, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will provide an additional

£200 million in response to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen for the next financial

year (2019/2020). This includes continued support to people displaced by conflict,

and brings the total UK commitment to Yemen to £770 million since the conflict

began in 2015.



Yemen: Swine Flu

Dan Carden: [235788]


is taking to respond to reports of swine flu in Yemen.

Penny Mordaunt:

The UK works closely with the UN and partners operating in Yemen to track the

presence and spread of communicable diseases. Based on the available information,

there is no clear evidence of an increase in cases of swine flu in Yemen.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Department for International Trade: Consultants

Peter Dowd: [235291]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many consultants his

Department has hired since 2016; and at what cost to the taxpayer.

Graham Stuart:

The Department does not hold information on the number of consultants hired in any

one year as this work is often commissioned as part of an outcomes-based contract

to ensure value for money.

DIT reported spend on consultants in its Annual Report and Accounts as follows:

• 2016-17 - £0

• 2017-18 - £644,000.

The spend in 2018-19 will be published in this year’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Department for International Trade Annual Report and Accounts 2016 to 2017, page

49

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-international-trade-

annual-report-and-accounts-2016-to-2017

Department for International Trade annual report and accounts 2017 to 2018, page

115

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-international-trade-

annual-report-and-accounts-2017-to-2018

Department for International Trade: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Tulip Siddiq: [235370]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many alleged breaches of the

Special Advisers’ Code of Conduct by his Department's Special Advisers have been

investigated by the Minister responsible for the appointment in the last 12 months.



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-international-trade-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-to-2017







Graham Stuart:

The department holds no central record of such allegations. The conduct of all civil

servants, including special advisers, is taken very seriously. Special advisers act in

accordance with the Special Adviser Code of Conduct, which includes clear guidance

on appropriate conduct in public life. The Code can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-advisers-code-of-conduct

Exports: Switzerland

Andrew Rosindell: [233546]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to tackle the

reduction in the UK exports of goods and services to Switzerland.

Graham Stuart:

Switzerland, as the UK’s 10th largest trading partner and accounting for 2.3% of total

UK trade, remains a crucial market for UK goods and services. Total trade in goods

and services between the UK and Switzerland has averaged £31.6 billion over the

last five years.

Similarly, Switzerland has been open about its desire to maintain a close relationship

as the UK leaves the EU. In response, my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for

International Trade signed the UK-Switzerland Trade Agreement on the 11th

February in Berne which will serve as the basis for future economic and trade

relations between Switzerland and the UK. The Trade Agreement allows businesses

to continue freely trading between the two countries and will function in both deal and

no deal EU Exit scenarios.

In August 2018, the Secretary of State launched the Export Strategy, the

government’s plan to increase UK total exports as a proportion of GDP to 35% and

make Britain a 21st century exporting superpower. The Export Strategy will

encourage and inspire more businesses to export; inform businesses by providing

practical assistance on exporting; connect UK businesses to overseas buyers and

opportunities; and help provide finance through UKEF to enhance the HMG offer to

UK exporters.

Iron and Steel

Nic Dakin: [235763]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government is

taking to (a) protect the steel sector and (b) mitigate the effect of a potential rapid change

in export trade restrictions in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

George Hollingbery:

We have now established the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (TRID)

which will be responsible for assessing the case for a trade remedies measure, used

to protect UK business including steel from unfair and injurious trade practises such

as dumping and subsidization. This trade remedies function is currently held within



DIT but will be established as an arm’s length, independent body, known as The

Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) following Royal Assent of the Trade Bill.

Following a consultation with UK producers, we have identified UK production in 26 of

the existing EU 45 trade remedy measures on steel products. These measures will

be transitioned to the UK’s independent trade policy upon exit from the EU. The

Government will also transition those EU definitive safeguard measures where there

is a UK producer interest. This ensures that UK businesses will have the protection

they need.

The Government is also engaging extensively with the steel industry to ensure

businesses have the information they need to comply with any change in export

procedures should there be a ‘no deal’ EU exit.

Iron and Steel: Turkey

Nic Dakin: [235764]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, (a) what level of tariffs UK steel

producers exporting to Turkey are expected to pay and (b) what steps the Government is

taking to help ensure a level playing field for UK steel exports in the event of the UK

leaving the EU without a deal.

George Hollingbery:

If the UK were to leave the EU without a deal, Turkey would apply its “Most Favoured

Nation” duty rates on all goods imported from the UK. This would mean, based on

Turkey’s current applied MFN rates, that finished steel from the UK would face tariffs

between 0% and 40% depending on the type of product. The Government is

committed to exploring all options for enabling continuity of trade and will progress

these with Turkey as soon as possible.

The UK is working with other countries – including Turkey – through the G20 Global

Forum for Steel Excess Capacity that its recommendations on ensuring a level

playing field for steel companies are implemented by all members.

JUSTICE

Offenders: Homelessness

David Hanson: [234669]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans are in place to support local

authorities to work closely with Community Rehabilitation Companies and the National

Probation Service in identifying homeless ex-offenders.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any targets are in place for Community

Rehabilitation Companies and the National Probation Service to reduce the number of

ex-offenders that are homeless.




Rory Stewart:

Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and the National Probation Service

(NPS) are required to facilitate access to housing for the offenders that they are

managing. This includes working together with local partners to help offenders find

and maintain accommodation as part of a package of support tailored to meet their

individual needs.

We know that Through The Gate provision is not currently meeting the standard we

require. That is why we are investing an additional £22m per annum over the

remaining life of the CRC contracts to ensure that CRCs deliver an enhanced

Through The Gate service to offenders leaving prison. This investment will support

approximately 500 additional CRC staff to deliver Through The Gate in prisons.

Alongside this investment there will be a new specification, to be introduced shortly,

which will ensure that CRCs complete specific tasks, including to help every prisoner

to secure and maintain settled accommodation.

We are also investing £6m as part of the Government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy in

pilot schemes bringing together prisons, local authorities, probation providers and

others to plan, secure and sustain accommodation for offenders on release.

We regularly publish the performance of CRCs, including measures showing the

percentage of offenders who have settled accommodation on release from custody.

The latest information can be found in the ‘Community Performance Quarterly

Management Information Release: update to June 2018’ on Gov.uk at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-performance-quarterly-mi-

update-to-june-2018


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many meetings he has held with the

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to discuss

homelessness of ex-offenders.

Rory Stewart:

It is vital that everyone leaving prison has somewhere safe, stable and secure to live.

Overcoming the many barriers offenders face to securing suitable accommodation is

something that Ministry of Justice cannot do in isolation.

The Secretary of State for Justice and the Secretary of State for Housing,

Communities and Local Government are both members of the cross-Government

Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Taskforce and the Reducing Reoffending Board.

Homelessness of ex-offenders is a key issue that is discussed at these meetings.

Through this work, we are investing up to £6.4m in a joint pilot scheme to support

individuals released from three prisons, namely Bristol, Leeds and Pentonville. We

have now launched our Invitation to Tender, to secure suppliers in the three pilot

areas. This is a concrete step in our commitment to tackling rough sleeping.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-performance-quarterly-mi-update-to-june-2018




Prisoners' Release: Homelessness


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were (a) released from each

prison and (b) recorded as homeless on release from each prison in each of the last five

years.

Rory Stewart:

The exact information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost, but we have

closely related data, detailed below. It is vital that everyone leaving prison has

somewhere safe and secure to live. Having somewhere stable to live acts as a

platform for ex-offenders to be able to access the services and support needed to

turn their back on crime for good. Published statistics for 2017/18 showing the

accommodation status for all offenders can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-performance-quarterly-mi-

update-to-march-2018 Published statistics on releases by prison can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly

As part of the Government initiative to reduce and ultimately eliminate rough sleeping

across England, we are investing up to £6.4 million over two years in a pilot scheme

to help ex-offenders into accommodation from three prisons, namely Bristol,

Pentonville and Leeds. The pilots will focus on male prisoners who have served

shorter sentences, who have been identified as having a risk of homelessness. We

have launched our Invitation to Tender, to secure suppliers in the three pilot areas.

This is a concrete step in our commitment to tackling rough sleeping.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Ruth George: [235809]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the

number of people that have waited 12 months or more from the time they appealed a

decision on (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence

payments to receiving an outcome; and what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times

for appeal outcomes.

Lucy Frazer:

The data requested at a) and b) are not available centrally, and could only be

provided at disproportionate cost.

Information about volumes and waiting times generally for appeals to the First-tier

Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support), including Employment and Support

Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP), is published at:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.

To improve clearance times, additional fee-paid judicial office holders have been

recruited: 250 judges across the First-tier Tribunal, 125 disability qualified members

and up to 230 medical members. In addition, more PIP appeals are being listed per

session and case-management “triage” sessions are being conducted, in order to


https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-performance-quarterly-mi-update-to-march-2018






reduce the time taken for appeals to reach final determination. These measures will

increase the capacity of the Tribunal, with the aim of reducing waiting times for

appellants.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is also developing a new digital system with

a view to enabling speedier processing of appeals and a better service for all parties

to the proceedings. Information on the new digital service can be found at

www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision.

Finally, HMCTS is working with the Department for Work and Pensions to understand

what could be done to reduce the number of appeals being submitted to the Tribunal,

through their focus on improving decision-making and the mandatory reconsideration

process.

Latest figures (between April 2014 – September 2018) indicate that 3.9m ESA (post

WCA) decisions have been made. Of these, 8% have been appealed and 4% have

been overturned. For PIP, the latest figures (to December 2018) indicate that since it

was introduced, 3.9 million decisions have been made. Of these 10% have been

appealed and 5% have been overturned at Tribunals.

Special Educational Needs: Prisoners


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of the prison population have

(a) a learning disability, (b) autism and (c) other special educational need.

Rory Stewart:

Data on offender learning participation, and learner characteristics, is published by

the Department for Education.

Data on learning difficulties and/or disabilities amongst those prisoners who engage

in prison education is at: OLASS: participation and achievement by equality and

diversity & English and maths level: 2010/2011 to 2017/18. Self-declared data on

learning difficulties and/or disabilities gathered as part of the assessment of

prisoners’ levels of maths and English on reception is at: OLASS English and maths

assessments by ethnicity and learners with learning difficulties or disabilities:

participation 2014/2015 to 2017/2018. The data consistently show that around one

third of prisoners have a learning difficulty and/or disability.

In April 2016, the Department for Education published a breakdown of the type of

learning difficulty and type of learning disability amongst prisoner learners for

academic years 2011/12 to 2014/15. That data is at: Offender Learning breakdown

by disability and learning difficulty 2011/12 to 2014/15.

From 1 April, prison governors will arrange for all new prisoners to be screened for

learning difficulties and/or disabilities on reception. Following this, for those who go

into learning and where screening indicates an issue, education suppliers will assess

them to ensure the right adaptations and support arrangements are put in place.


https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/765596/OLASS_participation_demographic_tool.xls



https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/765597/OLASS_English_and_maths_assessments_by_Ethnicity_and_disability_201415_to_201718.xlsx




https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/517212/offender-learning-lldd-v2.xls



PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

NHS: Fraud

Rosie Cooper: [235755]

To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, what assessment he has made

of the level of fraud in the NHS; and what recent discussions he has had with Secretary

of State for Health and Social Care on tackling such fraud.

Sir Edward Leigh:

The most recent estimate of NHS fraud, covering 2016-17, was published by the

NHS Counter Fraud Authority in 2018. This estimated that the loss to the NHS

through fraud, bribery and corruption was £1.29 billion.

The principal role of the Public Accounts Commission is to examine the

Estimate of the National Audit Office (NAO) and to consider reports from the

appointed auditor of the NAO. The Commission does not involve itself in the

operational matters of government.

SCOTLAND

Driving Under Influence

Jamie Stone: [909983]

What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on harmonising Scottish and

English drink-driving laws.

David Mundell:

This is a devolved matter and both Governments share a determination to fight drink

driving. In this case, the UK government has no plans to change the drink driving

limits.

Fisheries: Scotland

Bill Grant: [909984]

What steps he is taking to support the Scottish fishing sector.

David Mundell:

The UK Government is committed to supporting the Scottish fishing sector as we look

ahead to new opportunities when we leave the EU. On 10 December, the

Environment Secretary announced £16.4 million of extra funding to prepare the

Scottish fishing industry ahead of the UK becoming an independent coastal state

from December 2020.




Taxation: Scotland


What recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on its use of tax

powers.

David Mundell:

I have regular discussions with the Scottish Government on issues of importance for

Scotland’s economy, including tax.

The UK Government has delivered on its promise to devolve additional tax powers.

Once the Scotland Act 2016 is fully implemented, more than 50% of the Scottish

Government’s funding will come from revenues raised in Scotland, giving the Scottish

Government greater power to decide the levels of tax and spend in Scotland.

TRANSPORT

Brittany Ferries and DFDS

Alan Brown: [235760]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2019 to

Question 233640, whether the three year settlement agreement and possible project

listings with Eurotunnel procures the same vital freight capacity as that procured with

DFDS and Brittany Ferries; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling:

The settlement agreement secured the vital freight capacity that Government has

purchased from DFDS and Brittany Ferries, and therefore the unhindered supply of

medicines for our NHS, by removing a legal risk of the contracts with these

companies being declared ineffective by the Court. The agreement itself does not

procure additional freight capacity, nor was it ever intended to. Under the terms of the

settlement agreement, to ensure value for money, Eurotunnel has agreed that the

entirety of the settlement sum will be used on projects to improve security, traffic flow

and infrastructure resilience around the Channel tunnel site.



Question 233640, what vital freight capacity has been procured with DFDS and Brittany

Ferries; and what timeframe that additional freight capacity covers.

Chris Grayling:

The contracts with DFDS and Brittany Ferries add approximately 7% to existing short

Strait ro-ro capacity. They cover the period to 30 September 2019. The majority of

contracted capacity is initially reserved for category 1 priority traffic.




Department for Transport: Cybercrime

Jo Platt: [235801]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many mandatory cyber security training

sessions civil servants working in his Department are required to undertake.

Jesse Norman:

All Department for Transport employees are required to undertake the ‘Responsible

for Information’ e-learning course. This course is designed to make civil servants

aware of their responsibilities when it comes to handling information, being alert to

the dangers of fraud, ensuring information is protected and handled responsibly

without preventing it from being shared appropriately, and how best to protect

themselves and the information they hold when they are working remotely on online.

All new starters are required to complete this training within 1 month of joining the

Department.

All new staff with elevated access privileges are provided with enhanced, role-specific

cyber and information security training and awareness.

Information security policies and procedures are kept updated, and all staff are

required to undertake refresher security training at least every 3 years.

Department for Transport: Procurement



Question 233639, if he will provide details of the auditors assessment of the risks of legal

challenge to the contracts awarded; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling:

Details of the assessment of risks of legal challenge are legally privileged.

Driverless Cars: Safety

Martyn Day: [235352]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has

made of the safety of self-driving cars.

Jesse Norman:

The Government has safety at the heart of its approach to automated vehicles, and

the UK is leading work through the United Nations to create robust international

standards for their safe introduction and use.

Last year the Department asked the Law Commission to conduct a regulatory review

of the UK's legal framework in the context of automated vehicles. To support safe

and responsible UK trials the Department has recently published an updated code of

practice, and is developing processes to provide safety assurance for trials of

increasingly advanced technology on public roads.




Driving Tests: Languages

Daniel Zeichner: [235303]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Impact Assessment on

Review of language support provided for driving tests, whether the policy change that

withdrew the availability of language support from UK driving test candidates was

reviewed in January 2019 as indicated on the impact assessment; and if he will make a

statement.

Jesse Norman:

Ensuring all drivers have the knowledge, skills and understanding to use our roads

safely and responsibly is essential to reducing casualties. Since the 2014 language

support change, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has introduced a

new practical driving test (in December 2017) and is currently working on the

provision of the theory test from the early 2020s.

Driving: Diabetes


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have informed the DVLA

that they have insulin-treated diabetes and a group (a) 1 or (b) 2 driving licence in each of

the last 10 years.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many drivers with diabetes have had

their licence revoked in each of the last 10 years.

Jesse Norman:

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not hold historic data on the

number of people who have notified that they have insulin treated diabetes, only

those whose licences were refused or revoked on that basis.

The table below shows the number of drivers who have diabetes recorded on their

driving record and have had their driving licence application refused or their driving

licence revoked on medical grounds for any medical condition.

YEAR REVOCATION GROUP 1 REVOCATION GROUP 2

2010 1,504 498

2011 2,327 668

2012 2,476 639

2013 2,801 1,114

2014 2,957 1,318

2015 2,993 1,499




YEAR REVOCATION GROUP 1 REVOCATION GROUP 2

2016 2,912 1,765

2017 2,895 1,568

2018 2,023 1,562

2019 (to date) 326 269

Please note that there may be group 2 drivers who would have been refused or had a

licence revoked for both group 1 and group 2 licences and therefore may be

duplicated in the figures. In addition, as there are higher medical standards for group

2 licensing than for group 1, there will be a number of drivers who have been refused

group 2 entitlement but permitted to retain group 1 entitlement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the recent changes to the

DVLA’s driving and diabetes guidance differs between drivers with group 1 and group 2

licences.

Jesse Norman:

The law states that while the testing of interstitial fluid is permitted for driver licensing

purposes for group 1 drivers with diabetes, drivers of group 2 vehicles must continue

to monitor blood glucose levels. The medical standards for driving group 2 vehicles

are different than those for group 1. This is because these vehicles are larger or carry

passengers, and the driver will typically spend more time on the road and drive longer

distances.

Manston Airport

Sir Roger Gale: [235730]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will confirm the commitment given by his

Department to reinstate Manston Airport following the cessation of the use of that airfield

as a potential lorry park after the UK leaves the EU.

Jesse Norman:

The Town and Country Planning (Manston Airport) Special Development Order 2019

came into force on 24 January 2019, updating the SDO from 2015, and extends

planning permission for the use of Manston as an emergency lorry holding facility

until 31 December 2020.

S.5(2) of the Order states that the land must be restored to its condition before the

date of the Order coming into force, prior to the Order expiring on 31 December 2020.

The Department will do this.



South Eastern Rail Franchise

Gareth Johnson: [234747]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to make an announcement on

the award of the new Southeastern franchise.

Andrew Jones:

The bids for the next franchise continue to be evaluated. My Department wants to

ensure that the franchise meets the needs of passengers and taxpayers and will

provide an update in due course.

TREASURY

Electronic Warfare

Jo Platt: [235808]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many recent discussions he has had with

the Minister for the Cabinet Office on Government cybersecurity funding in the 2019

Spending Review.

Elizabeth Truss:

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of ministerial

discussions on government cyber security funding are not normally disclosed.

Females: Ethnic Groups

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: [234865]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of

the effect of austerity on BAME women.

Elizabeth Truss:

The Treasury, along with other relevant departments, carefully considers the impact

of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics - including at Budgets and

other fiscal events - in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong

commitment to promoting fairness.

The Prime Minister announced the Race Disparity Audit in August 2016 to uncover

uncomfortable truths by publishing Government data about ethnic disparities onto

one website. Government is delivering on its commitment to address ethnic

disparities in all areas of society. Policies announced by the Prime Minister include

tackling ethnic disparities in employment, school exclusions, higher education and

mental health.

Married People: Tax Allowances

Lucy Powell: [234220]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the marriage tax allowance has cost

the public purse; how many married couples have been eligible for it; and how many and





what proportion of eligible married couples have benefitted from it in each year since it

was introduced.

Mel Stride:

HMRC publishes the estimated cost of tax reliefs annually and the latest estimate can

be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs

HMRC’s projection of the cost of the Marriage Allowance include the anticipated full

take up of the allowance after all retrospective claims have been made, as the

allowance can be claimed retrospectively for up to four years:

£ MILLION 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18

Marriage Allowance 680 735 835

. Around 4.2 million couples are estimated to be eligible to claim the marriage

allowance. The table below shows the approximate proportion of those who are

eligible and are estimated to have made a claim for marriage allowance.

% 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18

Marriage Allowance 16 44 67


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding his Department has allocated

to the married couple's allowance in each of the next three financial years.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of married

couples are (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of the married couples tax allowance in each

(i) local authority and (ii) parliamentary constituency.

Mel Stride:

HMRC publishes the estimated cost of the Married Couples Allowance (MCA) for the

years up to the current tax year in their “Estimated costs of principal tax reliefs”

publication, available here:


The estimated cost of the MCA is:

£M

2013-14 2014-

15

2015-

16

2016-

17

2017-

18

2018-

19

345 330 290 240 195 165







In 2018-19 there are estimated to be around 270,000 claimants of MCA. HMRC does

not hold estimates of the total number of married couples. Reliable estimates of the

numbers in receipt of MCA are not available at local authority or constituency level

due to insufficient sample size.

The published estimates are based on the 2015-16 Survey of Personal Incomes

projected using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR’s October 2018

Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

NHS: Drugs

Stephen Morgan: [234251]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money private pharmaceutical

companies have claimed back in VAT as a result of what they have paid suppliers for

medicines in each year for which information is available.

Mel Stride:

HMRC does not collect this level of information on its VAT returns and does not have

estimates of the VAT claimed back by private pharmaceutical companies.

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Foreign Nationals

Jonathan Edwards: [234167]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the proposed additional tax

charge on non-resident property purchases was reduced from 3 per cent to 1 per cent

under his Department's plans.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason his Department has proposed

that overseas residential property investors only need to be resident in the UK for six

months to avoid the additional tax charge on non-resident property purchases.



the potential effect on UK housing supply of a one per cent stamp duty surcharge on non-

resident property purchases.



the potential effect on UK property prices of a 1 per cent stamp duty surcharge on non-

resident property purchases.



the potential merits of implementing a company residence test in determining liability to

the non-UK resident surcharge to ensure the charge is applicable to all relevant parties

and not avoided via company structures.









the potential merits of utilising chapter 3 of Part 2 of the Corporation Tax Act 2009 to

ensure that company central management and control must be exercised in the UK in

order to be disqualified from the non-UK resident surcharge on property purchases.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking in relation

to on non-resident property purchases to ensure that non-UK resident individuals cannot

avoid the surcharge by using UK resident companies to purchase residential properties.



the potential merits of using the close company test as the basis for determining whether

a company is under the control of non-UK resident persons in relation to the additional

tax charge on non-resident property purchases.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what exemptions his Department plans to apply

in relation to the additional tax charge on non-resident property purchases; and on what

grounds those exemptions will these be awarded.


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether UK Citizens who have decided to work

overseas but are buying a UK property be exempt from the surcharge for non-resident

property purchases.

Mel Stride:

At Budget 2018, the government announced it would consult on a new 1 per cent

Stamp Duty Land Tax surcharge for non-UK residents purchasing residential property

in England and Northern Ireland.

The consultation, published on 11 February 2019, sets out the government’s rationale

for the proposed surcharge as well as detail on various aspects of the proposed

design, including the level of the surcharge, the residence test for individuals, how the

surcharge will apply to companies and the proposed reliefs and refunds of the

surcharge. The government welcomes comments from individuals, companies,

advisers, representative bodies and others who have an interest in the charge. The

consultation will run until 6 May 2019 and is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/stamp-duty-land-tax-non-uk-resident-

surcharge-consultation

Once the consultation closes, the government will analyse responses and publish its

response. The responses to the consultation and any further evidence emerging from

the consultation process will inform the final policy design and accompanying Impact

Assessment.






https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/stamp-duty-land-tax-non-uk-resident-surcharge-consultation



Steel: Exports

Nic Dakin: [235766]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to minimise

(a) administration costs, (b) delays and (c) complexities of transporting UK steel sector

products to the EU in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Mel Stride:

Delivering a deal negotiated with the EU remains the Government’s top priority.

However, in the event of a ‘no deal’ HMRC will prioritise the flow of trade, ensuring

the border remains secure, while collecting the taxes due.

The government published its long-term economic analysis in November 2018. This

set out, by sector, the high level impact on the UK from different EU Exit scenarios, to

include for manufactured steel goods.

Although the treatment of goods exported from the UK into the EU in a ‘no deal’

scenario will be a matter for the EU, to minimise delays and associated complexity,

the UK has negotiated re-accession to the Common Transit Convention (CTC). This

allows both imported and exported goods to move smoothly across international

borders without the payment of duties until they reach their final destination. In

addition to facilitating the flow of trade, CTC reduces administrative costs by

removing the need for multiple import/export declarations and associated customs

duties as goods move through different territories. Information on CTC can be found

here.

To help businesses prepare, HMG has made available £8million to train customs

agents and to increase capacity in the customs agent market.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Department for Work and Pensions: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Tulip Siddiq: [235371]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many alleged breaches of the

Special Advisers’ Code of Conduct by his Department's Special Advisers have been

investigated by the Minister responsible for the appointment in the last 12 months.

Justin Tomlinson:

The conduct of all civil servants, including special advisers, is taken very seriously.

Special advisers act in accordance with the Special Adviser Code of Conduct, which

includes clear guidance on appropriate conduct in public life. The Code can be found

at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-advisers-code-of-conduct


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-trade-tariff-community-and-common-transit-outwards/uk-trade-tariff-community-and-common-transit-outwards

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-trade-tariff-community-and-common-transit-outwards/uk-trade-tariff-community-and-common-transit-outwards


Personal Independence Payment: Dementia


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people access disability

benefits through Special Rules for Terminal Illness by each terminal illness.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with dementia

have accessed disability benefits through Special Rules for Terminal Illness.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with dementia

have accessed disability benefits without going through Special Rules for Terminal

Illness.

Justin Tomlinson:

The latest available data on disability benefit awards made under Special Rules for

Terminal Illness and Normal Rules can be found at https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ .

Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://sw.stat-

xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

Special Rules data can be broken down by main disabling condition for Personal

Independence Payment including Dementia, however data on the main disabling

condition for other disability benefit claims made under Special Rules is not held by

the Department.

Normal Rules data can be broken down by main disabling condition for all disability

benefits, including Dementia.

Terminal illness is defined in Social Security legislation as: 'a progressive disease

where death as a consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected within 6

months'. If a patient is suffering from such an illness they can claim certain benefits

under what are termed as 'special rules'.”

The DS1500 sets out the patient’s condition, clinical findings, treatment, date of

diagnosis and date of form completion. It is a medical factual report and it is usually

valid for 3 years.

Personal Independence Payment: Terminal Illnesses


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what illnesses are considered

terminal under Special Rules for Terminal Illness.

Justin Tomlinson:

The Special Rules for Terminal Illness apply across a range of benefits. Terminal

illness is defined in legislation as applying to someone who “is suffering from a

progressive disease and death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be




https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html




expected within 6 months.” The Department applies the Special Rules, regardless of

what health condition a person has, in line with this definition.

Universal Credit

Sir Mark Hendrick: [234106]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of

the potential correlation between the roll-out of universal credit and the trends in the level

of survival prostitution; and if she will make a statement.

Alok Sharma:

We do not believe there is any correlation between the roll-out of Universal Credit

and prostitution.

The priority of Jobcentre Plus staff is to make sure that claimants get the support they

need and then help them to move into work when they are able.

A wide range of financial support is available to help claimants, with 100 per cent

advances available on the same day if there is a need.

Universal Credit: Disability

Mhairi Black: [234274]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the timetable is for the draft

regulations for compensatory payments to be arranged for people who have moved to

universal credit and lost their legacy benefit severe disability premium payments.

Justin Tomlinson:

The draft Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments)

Regulations 2019 were laid in Parliament on 14 January 2019, and will introduce

provision for those claimants who were in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium

(SDP) and who have already moved on to Universal Credit following a change in their

circumstances. These regulations will provide both an on-going monthly payment to

eligible claimants who have already lost the SDP as a consequence of moving to

Universal Credit and an additional lump sum payment to cover the period since they

moved.

These regulations are subject to parliamentary debate and approval before they

come in to force. Once introduced we will implement our processes to identify those

who are potentially eligible for payments, aiming to make all payments as quickly as

possible and within 6 months of the regulations coming into force. This will be a time

consuming process, as we have to identify claimants and assess their eligibility,

possibly needing to check some information directly with claimants. We aim to finish

making payments within 6 months of the regulations coming into force.

We have also introduced the Severe Disability Premium Gateway which prevents

claimants who are receiving the SDP, or have done so within the past month and

remain entitled to it, from moving onto Universal Credit from legacy benefits, even if

they experience a change in their circumstances. These claimants will continue to



receive legacy benefits including their SDP until they are moved onto Universal Credit

by the Department.

Universal Credit: Telephone Services

Stephen Lloyd: [234185]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average wait time for a

phone call to be answered was to the universal credit helpline in (a) each of the last three

months and (b) 2018.

Alok Sharma:

Universal Credit is a 24 hour, seven days a week, digital service that allows claimants

to manage their own data and account online at a time which is convenient for them.

Via their account claimants can check their Universal Credit benefit payments, notify

us of changes and record notes via an online journal facility. In addition, established

claimants who call the Freephone Universal Credit helpline are connected directly to

the person or team who are dealing with the case.

The average waiting time for a person calling the Universal Credit Full Service

helpline in each of the last three months was:

MONTH AVERAGE SPEED OF ANSWER (MINUTES)

December 2018 4.52

January 2019 4.53

February 2019 4.16

The average waiting times for a person calling the Universal Credit Full Service

helpline in 2018 was 5 minutes 52 seconds

Our Average Speed of Answer (ASA) measure is the average customer wait time

from the point of entering a queue to connection to an agent. This excludes any time

spent in pre-queue messaging and any wait time for calls ultimately abandoned by

callers prior to answer.

Notes:

For calls connected to the owning Case Manager or team, the Average Speed of

Answer was 1 minute 10 seconds in February 2019.

Data Source: BT - OPMIS and Historical Management Information (GI2 – HMI)

Outsourced partner data is included.

The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was

collected for internal Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to

National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. The data should

therefore be treated with caution.


MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Public Health: Social Media

Nigel Dodds: [219328]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has

taken to tackle public health misinformation on social media platforms.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 19 February 2019. The

correct answer should have been:

Steve Brine:

The Department ensures that all official information is badged appropriately with the

Government crest; National Health Service branding or associated public health

campaign branding, to reinforce its credibility. Any misinformation detected is dealt

with on a case by case basis depending on the level of impact it could have on public

health.

We are working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on their

white paper on Online Harms. Information on the upcoming white paper and

Government Communication Service’s existing advice The Government

Communications Service has also recently published a toolkit ‘RESIST’ to assist

government communicators in tackling disinformation which my Department will

utilise. These documents can be viewed at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-laws-to-make-social-media-safer

https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/news/5-trends-in-leading-edge-

communications/

https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/guidance/evaluation/tools-and-resources/

TREASURY

Coinage


To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the commemorative 50 pence coin

issued to mark the UK's departure from the EU has been minted.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 20 March 2019. The


Robert Jenrick:

Currently, no commemorative coins to mark the UK’s departure from the UKEU have

been minted. However, as is standard procedure at The Royal Mint, a small number

of trial coins have been produced. The production of trial coins does not incur any





cost to the taxpayer. The commemorative 50 pence coin to mark the UK leaving

the European Union will be made available following our departure.

Mary Creagh: [234738]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the commemorative 50 pence coin to

mark the UK's departure from the EU with the date of 29 March 2019 has been minted.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 25 March 2019. The


Robert Jenrick:

Currently, no commemorative coins to mark the UK’s departure from the UKEU have

been minted. However, as is standard procedure at The Royal Mint, a small number

of trial coins have been produced. The production of trial coins does not incur any

cost to the taxpayer. The commemorative 50 pence coin to mark the UK leaving

the European Union will be made available following our departure.


WRITTEN STATEMENTS

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Hong Kong Six Monthly Report

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Jeremy Hunt):

[HCWS1454]

The latest six-monthly report on the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration

on Hong Kong was published today, and is attached. It covers the period from 1 July to

31 December 2018. The report has been placed in the Library of the House. A copy is

also available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website (

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office ). I commend the

report to the House.

Attachments:

1. Hong Kong Six Monthly Report [Six Monthly Report on Hong Kong July - December

2018 Embargoed Copy.pdf]

Tailored Review of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy

Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mark Field):

[HCWS1455]

I am announcing today the publication of the recent Tailored Review of the Westminster

Foundation of Democracy (WFD), an arms-length body of the Foreign & Commonwealth

Office (FCO).

WFD was established in 1992, with a focus on strengthening democracy in Africa, Asia,

Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Since 1992, it has

played an important part in delivering UK expertise on democracy and democratic

institutions.

The principal aims of Tailored Reviews are to ensure public bodies remain fit for purpose,

are well governed and properly accountable for what they do.

In conducting this Tailored Review, officials engaged with stakeholders in the UK and

overseas, including across UK Government, civil society, as well as with WFD’s staff and

management.

The review reported in December 2018. A plan to implement the recommendations has

been developed and agreed between the FCO and WFD, and will be taken forward by

officials. The review found that ‘given the scale of the challenges facing democracies, the

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-03-27/HCWS1454/


http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office

http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office



review team believe that WFD’s purpose remains as relevant and necessary today as

when it was established in 1992’. The Review also contains a number of

recommendations to strengthen WFDs corporate governance and its relationship with the

FCO.

Copies of the Review will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Attachments:

1. Tailored Review of the WFD [FCO1361 WFD tailored review.pdf]

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Contingent Liability: Financial Assurance

Secretary of State for International Development (Penny Mordaunt):

[HCWS1456]

On 23 August 2018, the Department for International Development (DFID) published its

technical notice entitled ‘Delivering humanitarian aid programmes if there’s no deal Brexit

deal’. The notice committed DFID to funding the post-March outputs of European Civil

Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) programmes contracted to UK

organisations, if ECHO terminates funding in the event of no deal.

The technical notice was issued to enable UK organisations to bid for ECHO funding prior

to our Exit, where they were bidding as lead or sole implementers. UK organisations

argued that they were losing bidding opportunities due to ECHO’s requirement that they

prove at application stage that they could fund the post-March 2019 outputs of the

programme in the event of a no deal. The UK government’s commitment enabled UK

organisations to demonstrate in their applications that programmes would be funded in a

no deal scenario. UK aid spending in this case will prevent both loss of funding to UK

organisations, and severe disruption to humanitarian programmes.

At present, the House is due to be in recess from 4 April. Therefore, it is not possible to

offer the standard scrutiny period of fourteen sitting days due to the potential urgency of

the situation. However, if a Member signifies an objection by giving notice of a

Parliamentary Question or otherwise raising the matter in Parliament before Parliament

rises for the Easter recess, final approval to proceed with incurring the liability will be

withheld pending an examination of the objection. In addition, if a Member raises an

objection with me by correspondence after the Easter recess has begun but before 10

April, final approval to proceed will likewise be withheld pending an examination of the

objection. The consequences of withholding the liability would be the halting or even

cancellation of programmes delivering vital aid programmes to the world’s vulnerable,

and the failure to uphold our commitment to UK humanitarian and development

organisations.

Parliament was informed of this commitment on 23 August, when a letter from the

Secretary of State drawing attention to the technical notice was deposited in both House

Libraries.



In March 2019 I agreed to extend the financial assurance to cover any direct bid ECHO,

European Development Fund, Development Cooperation Instrument and EU Aid

Volunteers ODA funding to UK organisations where that funding will be cut by the EU in

the event of No Deal. This includes contracts and grants awarded prior to August 23. My

Foreign Office colleague will make a separate announcement regarding Heading 4

instruments under his remit.

The exact size of the contingency liability is still unknown, as UK organisations continue

to bid for ECHO programming and we continue to await the EU approval processes. The

size of the liability is therefore subject to change, though our current estimate is

approximately £90m, based on a reduced number of bids this year. The likelihood that

the liability will be called is directly proportional to the likelihood of no deal.

The Treasury has approved this proposal.

TREASURY

Independent Review of the Supervision of the Co-Operative Bank 2008-13

The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (John Glen): [HCWS1457]

On 6 March 2018 I laid a direction before Parliament using the powers conferred by

sections 77(1) and (2) and 78(5) and (6) of the Financial Services Act 2012 (“the Act”), to

require that the Prudential Regulation Authority (“the PRA”) should undertake an

investigation into supervision of the Co-operative Bank plc between 2008 and 2013. The

direction required that the PRA appoint an independent person to undertake the review

and that the review should be completed within 1 year. The PRA appointed Mr Mark

Zelmer, a former Deputy Superintendent of the Office of Superintendent of Financial

Institutions, Canada, and previously a senior official at the Bank of Canada, to undertake

the review.

The PRA presented the completed Report setting out the findings of the review to HM

Treasury on 4 March 2019. In accordance with Section 82(6) of the Act I have today laid

the Report before Parliament. Copies of the Report are available in the Vote Office and

Printed Paper Office and as required by Section 82(2) of the Act the Report will also be

published on the Government website.

The Report makes detailed recommendations for the PRA and the Bank of England (“the

BoE”) relating to supervisory policy and practice. The PRA and the BoE welcome the

Report’s recommendations and have today published a document responding to them.

https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/prudential-regulation/publication/2019/pra-and-banks-

response-to-the-independent-review-of-the-co-operative-bank

The Financial Conduct Authority have also welcomed the Report. While the Report

contains no formal recommendations for HM Treasury, Mr Zelmer observes that in future

relevant authorities should continue to engage early and regularly on firm-specific issues

where necessary. The Treasury agrees with this observation, whilst ensuring that we

continue to respect the independence of the regulators.


https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/prudential-regulation/publication/2019/pra-and-banks-response-to-the-independent-review-of-the-co-operative-bank



I would like to thank Mr Zelmer for his work in undertaking the review and producing this

Report.

Daily Report Wednesday, 27 March 2019 CONTENTS · 2019-10-14 · Daily Report Wednesday, 27 March...

Documents

Transcript of Daily Report Wednesday, 27 March 2019 CONTENTS · 2019-10-14 · Daily Report Wednesday, 27 March...