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Written Question
Roads: Dorset
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his planned timetable is for publication of the M4 to Dorset Coast Connectivity Study.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The M4 to Dorset Coast Study has been considering how to improve north-south strategic road connectivity between the M4 corridor and the Dorset Coast.

The findings of this study will be reflected in the final RIS3 document when published later in 2024. Rather than a standalone report, National Highways will be in contact to discuss its outcomes with you.


Written Question
A303: Stonehenge
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the (a) (i) previous, (ii) future and (iii) total costs for the construction of the A303 Stonehenge road scheme between Amesbury and Berwick Down and (b) annual maintenance costs over the next 60 years in present day values; and whether contractual penalties exist if the scheme is (A) cancelled and (B) subject to serious construction delays.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Construction costs

In 2017, when the Outline Business Case was approved, the construction costs estimate range for the project was between £1.1bn to £2.5bn, with a central estimate of £1.6bn. This was predicated on starting construction work in 2021 and the project being delivered under the government’s Private Finance 2 model (PF2).

In 2018, the estimate was updated following the cancellation of PF2. The revisedcost estimate ranged between £1.5bn to £2.8bn, with a central estimate of £1.9bn. This was predicated on a start of works in 2021 and public funding.

Maintenance costs

Based on 2019 prices, National Highways will need to make provision for operations, maintenance and renewals costs of approximately £8m per annum (plus inflation) over a 60-year operating period.

Contractual Penalties

There are no contractual penalties if the project is cancelled or delayed, but National Highways would need to agree compensation events relating to the costs of delay and inflation.


Written Question
Rivers: Sewage
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of septic tanks on the cleanliness of rivers; and if he will make it his policy to ban septic tanks (a) in the catchment areas of chalk streams and (b) near other watercourses.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Large numbers of properties in rural areas of England rely on on-site water treatment systems as they are not connected to mains sewerage systems. Septic tanks, the most common on-site sewage treatment systems in these areas, are regulated to ensure they are maintained properly and do not cause pollution. Through our long-term Plan for Water, the Government is committed to delivering a clean water environment for people and nature, including the impact of private sewerage systems on chalk streams. This aligns with our broader commitment to review private sewage discharges regulation to manage environmental risk.


Written Question
Suicide
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of findings from (a) the report by the Anscombe Institute entitled Suicide prevention: does legalising assisted suicide make things better or worse?, published on 21 April 2022, and (b) other suicide prevention organisations.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

It remains the Department’s view that any change to the law in this sensitive area is a matter for Parliament to decide, and an issue of conscience for individual parliamentarians rather than one for Government policy. The Department as no such plans to make any formal assessment.


Written Question
Suicide: Mental Health Services
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of legalising assisted dying on suicide prevention programmes.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

It remains the Department’s view that any change to the law in this sensitive area is a matter for Parliament to decide, and an issue of conscience for individual parliamentarians rather than one for Government policy. The Department as no such plans to make any formal assessment.


Written Question
Euthanasia
Friday 15th March 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of legalising assisted suicide on palliative care.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

No assessment has been made of the impact of legalising assisted suicide on palliative care. The Government recognises that access to high-quality, personalised palliative and end of life care can make a significant difference to individuals and their families, at a sensitive time.

While the National Health Service has always been required to commission appropriate palliative and end of life care services to meet the reasonable needs of their population, as part of the Health and Care Act 2022, palliative care services were added to the list of services an integrated care board must commission, promoting a more consistent national approach and supporting commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care.


Written Question
Euthanasia and Suicide
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will issue guidance to her Department on using the term (a) assisted suicide when referring to procedures that involve ingesting poison prescribed by a doctor with the intent to die and (b) euthanasia when referring to the delivery of a lethal injection by a doctor.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

There are currently no plans to issue guidance on using the terms assisted suicide, when referring to procedures that involve ingesting poison prescribed by a doctor with the intent to die, and euthanasia, when referring to the delivery of a lethal injection by a doctor.


Written Question
Media: Euthanasia and Suicide
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps with Ofcom to undertake a review of the adequacy of guidance to the media on the reporting of (a) assisted suicide, (b) euthanasia and (c) other suicide cases.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Guidance on how broadcasters report assisted suicide, euthanasia and other suicide cases is a matter for Ofcom as the UK’s independent broadcasting regulator. Ofcom are required by law to keep the Broadcasting Code and any accompanying guidance under review.

In the UK, there is an independent self-regulatory regime for the press. The Government does not intervene in what the press can and cannot publish or oversee the work of press regulators.


Written Question
Environmental Land Management Schemes
Monday 22nd January 2024

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, further to the Answer of 27 March 2023 to Question 170767, what plans he has to make available financial support for increasing public access to the countryside under Environmental Land Management schemes.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are making further changes to our Environmental Land Management schemes in 2024 to increase support for farmers and foresters to put new permissive access in place. This gives more choice about how farmers and foresters provide access across their land and will help more people safely access the countryside. The new permissive access actions we are introducing are as follows:

Action:

Duration

Payment Rate

Summary Description

Open Access

5 years

£92 per hectare

Provide and maintain permissive open access to the public on areas of land

Footpath Access

5 years

£77 per 100m

Provide and maintain new permissive footpaths to the public

Bridleways and cycle path access

5 years

£158 per 100m

Provide and maintain new permissive bridleways and cycle paths

Access for people with reduced mobility

5 years

£221 per 100m

Provide and maintain new permissive access for people with reduced mobility

Upgrading Countryside and Rights of Way for cyclists and horse riders

5 years

£158 per 100m

Provide and maintain access alongside existing rights of way for cyclists and horse riders


Written Question
Deposit Return Schemes: Glass
Friday 7th July 2023

Asked by: Danny Kruger (Conservative - Devizes)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2023 to Question 190527 on Deposit Return Schemes: Glass, how many representations her Department received from businesses against the inclusion of glass in the deposit return scheme for England and Northern Ireland; and from whom.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Businesses have been clear that adding glass to a deposit return scheme will add fundamental complexity for our pubs and restaurants, increase burdens on small businesses, whilst creating greater inconvenience for consumers.

Among other considerations, the UK Government took into account strong representations made by relevant businesses, including distillers and the hospitality sector.

Concerns raised included:

  • Handling costs and equipment complexity. Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) will need to be emptied more frequently and will carry additional safety risks associated with handling broken glass in retail environments.
  • For retailers offering a manual take-back service, glass bottles will require more space to be stored safely which could disproportionately impact on small retailers.
  • In addition, points were raised regarding, the weight of glass and the potential for breakages also posing increased inconvenience for consumers.

More broadly, the additional cost and complexity imposed on the scheme if glass were to be included.