Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2015 to Question 11881, if he will discuss with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency the reasons for that agency not approving the pilot scheme for bike racks on the front of buses in Bath in 2015.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) rejected the pilot scheme because the design created significant additional hazards from the original bus design. These included both the structure of the bicycle rack when folded and deployed, projections of any bicycle on the rack, and a significant reduction of vision for the driver to the nearside front with a bicycle on the rack. These features were considered to increase significantly the likelihood of accidents and potential severity of pedestrian injury.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on ensuring that consent is granted before a person undertakes work on a neighbour's tree.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Guidance on the tree preservation legislation is published on the planning guidance website at http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/tree-preservation-orders/ and is available to local authorities and other interested parties. Local authorities are responsible for determining applications for works to trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with mobile telephone companies steps to reduce and standardise the time between a provider unlocking a phone and the owner of that phone being able to use it with another provider.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government wants to reduce the cost and hassle of switching mobile providers for consumers. We expect industry to start automatically unlocking customers’ handsets at the end of their contracts, and will consult this year on ending the practice of handset locking for customers outside their initial contract period.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to protect Christians in Syria from persecution by Daesh.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We recognise the situation is desperate for many communities within Syria and Iraq. We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Christians and other minorities, as well as the majority Muslim population in Syria and Iraq.
The International Syria Support Group (ISSG) has agreed that protecting the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination is fundamental. This means that Syrian minorities will be included as the political process progresses. Through our membership of the ISSG, we will ensure that this is adhered to.
The Global Coalition has provided air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (which include Syrian Christian members) in their fight against Daesh.
Ultimately, the best way of safeguarding minority rights is by defeating Daesh and establishing peace and stability in the region. The UK has been at the forefront of these efforts and, together with our allies, has a comprehensive strategy to deal with Daesh.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to prevent the exploitation of consumers by salesmen of stair lifts and other aids to the elderly and disabled.
Answered by Nick Boles
The Department funds the Citizens Advice Service to provide valuable advice to consumers, including how to avoid scams. Citizens Advice also lead the annual Scams Awareness Month, working with Trading Standards to help give consumers the confidence to spot and report a scam.
Trading Standards Officers have powers to take action under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 against salesmen who use misleading practices and aggressive pressure selling. Additionally, National Trading Standards Scambuster Teams take action against large scale national and regional scammers, including those who exploit the elderly and vulnerable through the sale of substandard or unnecessary mobility aids.
Since 2014 the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations 2014 introduced important new rights for consumers to take their own action against such traders to get their money back.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Government's current strategy on Yemen; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK’s position remains that a political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen. We are in regular contact with all parties to the conflict, urging engagement in good faith and to take steps towards achieving a durable ceasefire and we fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. The UK is the 4th largest donor to the crisis and has more than doubled its humanitarian commitment to Yemen over the last year to £75 million. UK aid has assisted at least 700,000 people directly affected by the conflict including vulnerable host communities, internally displaced people and migrants. We have provided critical support for healthcare, malnutrition, water and sanitation, protection and shelter. We have also continued to strengthen and protect local capacity and community assets from further shocks by providing agricultural and other livelihoods assistance.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis will be made available on the NHS to men who have sex with men.
Answered by Jane Ellison
NHS England is working with local authorities, clinicians, patient representatives and Public Health England to consider the clinical and cost effectiveness of providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to at-risk groups to prevent them acquiring HIV. The PrEP clinical policy proposition is one of many going through NHS England’s 2016/17 prioritisation round.
In July 2015 NHS England approved a significant new investment in a ‘Treatment as Prevention’ programme to help reduce transmissions from persons known to be HIV positive.
We have made no estimates of the number of people accessing PrEP through private provision.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people in England accessing HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis through private provision.
Answered by Jane Ellison
NHS England is working with local authorities, clinicians, patient representatives and Public Health England to consider the clinical and cost effectiveness of providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to at-risk groups to prevent them acquiring HIV. The PrEP clinical policy proposition is one of many going through NHS England’s 2016/17 prioritisation round.
In July 2015 NHS England approved a significant new investment in a ‘Treatment as Prevention’ programme to help reduce transmissions from persons known to be HIV positive.
We have made no estimates of the number of people accessing PrEP through private provision.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider issuing guidance restricting the taking of photos and videos following the Shoreham air show crash.
Answered by Mike Penning
We have taken this question to relate specifically to those involved in policing in light of the recent disciplinary action taken against two Police Officers working for Sussex police on probation who attended the scene of the crash in September 2015.
There are clear standards of behaviour for those involved in policing. Standards of Professional Behaviour for police officers are underpinned by the policing Code of Ethics, developed by the College of Policing and laid before Parliament in July 2014. The Code outlines the expectations of all who are involved in policing and which should be upheld in all circumstances. Forces are responsible for providing guidance to their officers and staff in terms of the appropriate handling of any such incidents including the taking of photos and videos, as well as maintaining discipline within the force according to the Standards of Professional Behaviour for policing. The College of Policing, which was established by the Home Office in October 2012, has published information on its website on the appropriate way to post information online for those working in policing.
The Home Office cannot intervene or comment on individual cases, which are a matter for individual forces.
Where such incidents take place and the conduct of those involved in policing falls below the expected standards, it is for individual forces to investigate such allegations and instigate disciplinary proceedings where it is appropriate to do so. I understand that Sussex Police pursued disciplinary procedures in this incident.
The Home Office is continuing to improve the police discipline system to ensure that the processes and their outcomes are transparent and that police officers are held to account for their actions to ensure full public confidence in the integrity of police.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make representations to exam boards to remove the five per cent marking for spelling and grammar for dyslexic students.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In 2013 the Government restored the policy of marks for spelling, punctuation and use of grammar (SPaG)to GCSE exams as a key part of our commitment to high standards and to ensuring that GCSEs match expectations set in the highest performing jurisdictions internationally. It gives a real incentive to teachers to provide effective support to all their students to improve their written communication skills.
For those pupils with special educational needs, including those with dyslexia, appropriate reasonable adjustments, including extra time, are available, as necessary. Details can be found in the Joint Council for Qualifications’ “Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration” at: http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance