Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department provides to internally displaced people; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK is committed to meeting the needs of all displaced populations, including Internally Displaced Persons. We are providing more multiyear funding to support internally displaced populations and the communities that host them, through both humanitarian and longer term development programmes including those in Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen.
We support, through core and bilateral funding, some of the key agencies involved in IDP response, including the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to respond to the letter of the First Minister of Wales of 6 December 2017 on additional financial support for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.
Answered by Claire Perry
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has responded to the First Minister of Wales’ letter.
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment his Department has made of the environmental effect of not proceeding with the electrification of the Cardiff-Swansea mainline.
Answered by Alun Cairns
The UK Government is committed to reducing emissions across the nation’s transport network. The bi-mode Intercity Express trains on the Great Western route will utilise modern technology and will produce less emissions than today. Once the Great Western transformation is complete the new trains will spend most of the journey between London and Swansea in electric mode, with near-zero emissions. In diesel mode the new trains meet the highest rolling stock emissions standards and will convert nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases into water.
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why her Department is asking the recipients of state pensions to switch the accounts that their pensions are paid into from the Post Office to a bank, building society or credit union.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Direct Payment into a bank, building society or credit union account is the standard way to make all government payments.
The Post Office card account (POca) was introduced in 2003 as a very simple service through which pension and benefits can be paid. It was always intended as a stepping stone into mainstream banking, and financial inclusion, while customers got used to elements of banking.
There are now fewer barriers to prevent people, who do not have an existing account, from accessing and using one. Importantly as most bank accounts can be accessed at the post office it doesn’t need to change how or where they collect their money.
Additionally, POca is expensive to administer and as we deal with public funds we have a duty to use the most cost-effective method for issuing customer payments - which is into a bank, building society or credit union account.
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to inform Employment and Support Allowance claimants who are approaching retirement age that their benefit is coming to an end and that they must prepare to make a new claim for state pension.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Provided the Department has their up-to-date address, it will send ESA claimants a letter four months before they reach State Pension age telling them they can now claim State Pension; and another letter telling them that their ESA payments will soon stop and advising them to claim State Pension instead. Claimants will also get help and guidance from their work coach and Benefit Centre staff, should they need it.
This gives ESA claimants every opportunity to claim in time to ensure that there are no delays or disruptions between their final benefit payment and their first State Pension payment.
More than one-third of people now choose to claim their State Pension online. People can also claim by phone or in writing ensuring all customers can access their Pension via whichever method suits their needs. It has never been easier to claim your State Pension.
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements are in place to ensure that there are no delays or disruptions between final ESA payment and and the first state pension payment for people reaching state pension age.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Provided the Department has their up-to-date address, it will send ESA claimants a letter four months before they reach State Pension age telling them they can now claim State Pension; and another letter telling them that their ESA payments will soon stop and advising them to claim State Pension instead. Claimants will also get help and guidance from their work coach and Benefit Centre staff, should they need it.
This gives ESA claimants every opportunity to claim in time to ensure that there are no delays or disruptions between their final benefit payment and their first State Pension payment.
More than one-third of people now choose to claim their State Pension online. People can also claim by phone or in writing ensuring all customers can access their Pension via whichever method suits their needs. It has never been easier to claim your State Pension.
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps she has taken to improve wifi coverage in Neath constituency.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Digital connectivity is a clear priority for this Government. The Super Connected Cities Programme, which closed in 2015, installed WiFi in 1491 public buildings with a combined annual footfall of over 114 million, including in Wales. WiFi was also installed on 1422 public vehicles.
BDUK’s Superfast programme will provide at least 24 Megabits per second (Mbps) coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of this year. In Neath, superfast coverage is already above 95%.
As a result of the Government's landmark agreement with mobile operators in 2014, each mobile operator will deliver mobile coverage to 90% of the UK's landmass by the end of this year. Additionally O2 will deliver indoor 4G coverage to 95% of premises in Wales, also by the end of 2017.
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what national funding sources are available to Welsh sporting bodies.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
Sport is a devolved matter, and responsibility for the delivery of grassroots sport in Wales sits with Sport Wales. However, UK Sport, which receives funding from the UK government and the National Lottery and prepares athletes for Olympic and Paralympic Games, works closely with Sport Wales, including on support for leadership in sport, for the 66 World Class Programme athletes who indicate Wales as their home nation, and on securing the rights to host major sports events. Such events in Wales since 2013 have generated an estimated £11m in economic impact.
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent steps she has taken to remove barriers to inclusivity for LGBT individuals in Neath constituency.
Answered by Nick Gibb
This Government is committed to LGBT equality throughout the United Kingdom and that is why we are proud to have introduced marriage for same sex couples in England and Wales. We recently announced the launch of a National LGBT Survey asking LGBT people about their experiences of accessing public services, and our intention to consult on reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
Equalities policy is a devolved matter so improving services and support for LGBT people locally would be the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
Asked by: Christina Rees (Labour (Co-op) - Neath)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on participation rates of children in sport in Wales.
Answered by Alun Cairns
The UK Government is keen to encourage any schemes which help to increase participation rates of children in sport. However this is a devolved issue in Wales and therefore the responsibility of the Welsh Government.