Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with major supermarkets on limiting or rationing items during the outbreak of covid-19.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. Our retailers already have highly resilient supply chains and they are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. Industry is adapting quickly to any changes in demands, and food supply into and across the UK is resilient.
The Secretary of State is in regular dialogue with industry, including the British Retail Consortium and supermarket chief executives to discuss any additional support the Government can provide. To help supermarkets respond to this unprecedented demand we have already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have issued guidance to local authorities to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets so that shelves can be filled up quicker, and we have implemented extensions to drivers’ hours.
We fully recognise the additional pressures on our food supply chain as a result of recent events. The UK’s major supermarkets have last weekend issued a statement to encourage everyone to shop as they normally would and pull together to support those staying at home.
We will continue to work closely with the industry over the coming days and months.
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political and security situation in the Gambia.
Answered by Boris Johnson
Last week I made the first visit by a British Foreign Secretary to The Gambia. I congratulated President Barrow on winning free and fair elections and on the peaceful transition. After 22 years of brutal, oppressive rule, The Gambia faces many serious economic and institutional problems. The UK is ready to help the political transition, championing The Gambia as a new international partner and friend in West Africa.
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK's other Trident missiles have been checked for faults after the failed Trident II D5 missile test in June 2016.
Answered by Michael Fallon
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones) on 23 January 2017 (Official Report, column 23).
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there is a cost to the public purse if a Trident D5 missile is defective during a test launch; and whether the defective missile is replaced at the manufacturers expense.
Answered by Michael Fallon
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones) on 23 January 2017 (Official Report, column 23).
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) Lockheed Martin and (b) Draper Engineering have identified the fault to the Trident D5 missile that was test fired in June 2016.
Answered by Michael Fallon
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones) on 23 January 2017 (Official Report, column 23).
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many female junior doctors are likely to be affected by the changes in the junior doctor contract that propose six years' training before being transferred to a new pay scale.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The transitional pay protection arrangements agreed with the junior doctor leadership within the British Medical Association mean that junior doctors in the higher stages of training remain on existing pay terms, including annual incremental pay increases, until 2022, which gives part-time workers more active protection of their pay than straightforward cash floor pay protection. Allowing them to continue on the existing pay system provides protection in respect of anticipated earnings for those whose career choices were made some time ago. This applies to all those in the higher stages of training, male and female.
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many junior doctors took maternity leave in each year of the last five years.
Answered by Philip Dunne
This information is not collected.
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2016 to Question 26010, when the Departmental Reading Room for access to consolidated texts related to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will be opened.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The reading room for classified documents, including consolidated texts, relating to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is not yet open. Members of both Houses will be informed of the process and details of how to access the room shortly, once these have been finalised.
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meetings he or other Ministers of his Department have had with representatives of Care UK, BUPA, Virgin Care, The Practice, United Health/Optum, Serco, Nestor Primecare, General Healthcare (BMI Netcare), Spire/Classic, HCA International, Ramsay and Capio in each month of (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013, (e) 2014, (f) 2015 and (g) 2016 to date.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Information regarding all meetings between Departmental Ministers and external organisations is included in the Transparency Data, published quarterly. This can be accessed at:
Asked by: Lord Cryer (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meetings he or other Ministers of his Department have had with representatives of the British Medical Association in each month of (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013, (e) 2014, (f) 2015 and (g) 2016 to date.
Answered by Ben Gummer
External meetings between the Secretary of State for Health and other Health Ministers are published quarterly on the Department’s website here: