Hugh Gaffney Portrait

Hugh Gaffney

Labour - Former Member for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill

First elected: 8th June 2017



Division Voting information

Hugh Gaffney has voted in 385 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
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All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
John Bercow (Speaker)
(21 debate interactions)
Andrea Leadsom (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
(13 debate interactions)
Paul Sweeney (Labour (Co-op))
(13 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for Work and Pensions
(90 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(32 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(27 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Hugh Gaffney's debates

Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

Removing them will only penalize the poorest old age pensioners, many who rely on their television for company and their main source of entertainment.

The impartiality of the BBC is in question and needs addressing so as to protect its charter

The quality of BBC programmes do not reflect the price of the TV license. It is far too expensive for the majority of people and should be abolished.

Genuine leaders' debates took place in 2010, but in the next two elections didn't happen. Amend election law to make party leaders take part in a televised debate.

Review the sentencing guidelines for theft offences, so that where the theft of a family pet is involved, monetary value is irrelevant for the categorisation of the crime for sentencing purposes.

Ensure Police Forces are given appropriate guidance and training to record and investigate cases.

A lesser of two evils choice between a bad deal and no deal is not acceptable. Our country deserves better than Hobson's choice, and our MPs should be allowed to vote with their conscience to deliver what they believe is best for the country.

That this Government without delay recognises the need for a non-means tested bridging pension for women born on or after 6/4/1950 who are affected by the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts and compensate those at risk of losing up to around £45,000, to also give proper notification for any future changes.

Every single person who works in public services needs and deserve a pay rise. It’s time for the pay cap to be scrapped, for the government to provide additional funding for public sector pay and for employers to put public sector workers pay up now.


Latest EDMs signed by Hugh Gaffney

29th October 2019
Hugh Gaffney signed this EDM as a sponsor on Tuesday 29th October 2019

Communication Workers Union ballot result

Tabled by: Hugh Gaffney (Labour - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
That this House congratulates postal workers and the Communication Workers Union on the result of their recent ballot for strike action; notes that the ballot returned a 97 per cent vote in favour of strike action on a turnout of 76 per cent; acknowledges that this surpasses the requirements of …
6 signatures
(Most recent: 5 Nov 2019)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
29th October 2019
Hugh Gaffney signed this EDM as a sponsor on Tuesday 29th October 2019

Cardowan Pit Memorial

Tabled by: Hugh Gaffney (Labour - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
That this House welcomes the creation of the Cardowan Pit Memorial in Stepps; recognises the importance of Cardowan Pit to the local community during its sixty years in operation; believes that the memorial serves as a fitting tribute to the over fifty-five men who lost their lives working in the …
6 signatures
(Most recent: 4 Nov 2019)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 3
Scottish National Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Hugh Gaffney's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Hugh Gaffney, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Hugh Gaffney has not been granted any Urgent Questions

2 Adjournment Debates led by Hugh Gaffney

Tuesday 7th May 2019
Tuesday 11th September 2018

Hugh Gaffney has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

1 Bill co-sponsored by Hugh Gaffney

Unsolicited Calls (Prevention) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Stephen Kerr (Con)


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
2 Other Department Questions
25th Mar 2019
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.

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.

2nd Jul 2018
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government is taking steps to give fathers (a) longer and (b) better-paid paternity leave.

We know that helping parents to share care is good for parents and children, particularly in the crucial early months of their child’s life.

The Shared Parental Leave and Pay schemes enable fathers and partners to be their child’s main carer if this is best for the family. Qualifying working couples can share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay. From February to April 2018, the Government ran a joint £1.5m campaign to promote Shared Parental Leave.

As part of the evaluation of Shared Parental Leave and Pay we are collecting information on the take up of paternity benefits, including survey data on the take up of paternity leave and pay, which will inform the development of policy in this area.

Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
3rd Sep 2018
To ask the Attorney General, whether he has plans to conduct a review of the performance of the Serious Fraud Office.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is an independent organisation and is a key player in the response to economic crime, investigating and prosecuting some of the most serious and complex cases and recovering proceeds of crime, with a case conviction rate of over 83% during the past five years. The SFO continues to support the Government’s programme of reforms to improve our response, including the creation of the new National Economic Crime Centre. As the superintending Minister for the SFO, I regularly meet with the Director of the SFO where we discuss performance and key issues in relation to economic crime.

The new Director of the SFO, Lisa Osofsky, joined the SFO last month and is committed to building on the existing successes of the SFO and continuing to support the multi-agency response to economic crime.

3rd Sep 2019
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of the number of workers on zero-hours contracts.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

10th May 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of the unemployment rate for people with epilepsy.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

18th Apr 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of civil servants working in posts relating to the UK leaving the EU since the Government's recent decision to stand down Operation Yellowhammer.

The Government is equipping itself with the right people with the right skills for the UK to successfully exit the European Union. There are almost over 17,000 people now working on EU exit related policy and programmes across government. Workforce plans will continually be reviewed to ensure the Civil Service can respond to emerging capacity and capability requirements as we accelerate preparations.

15th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the due diligence undertaken by the Government in advance of awarding public contracts to private sector providers as a result of the collapse of Carillion.

Contracts are never awarded lightly: each has an agreed and robust process. Government has always been compliant with public procurement regulations and follows these diligently when assessing the suitability of suppliers to deliver a particular contract.

As noted by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster’s speeches in June and November 2018, the Cabinet Office is currently taking forward a package of reforms to Government outsourcing policy. This includes creating a ‘playbook’ of guidelines, rules and processes for departments to follow when they outsource.

We are also reviewing how we assess suppliers’ financial health and what financial information we should seek during the procurement process. This will enable the Government to assess the level of risk that should be accepted, the extent to which we rely on historical financial information as an indicator of future financial health, and whether it is appropriate to seek and rely on forecast information. We will be issuing new guidance for departments on assessing the financial and economic standing of bidders in the coming months.

Oliver Dowden
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
3rd Sep 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made of the cost-effectiveness of implementing a voter ID scheme throughout the UK.

The Government is committed to making sure that our electoral system is fit for the future. Vulnerabilities cannot be allowed to undermine the integrity of our democracy.

As part of the Government’s manifesto commitment to ensure that a form of identification must be presented before voting, five voter ID pilots took place at the local elections on 3 May 2018. In order for us to have a deeper understanding of how voter ID will work on a wider scale and what works best for voters, we plan to continue to pilot voter ID at next year’s local elections.

Part of our evaluation of the 2018 pilots and that of the Electoral Commission has been to understand the cost impact of voter ID. That analysis will be developed further when voter ID is piloted in 2019 and will help to inform decisions on voter ID in the future and ensure its cost effectiveness.

14th May 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that appointments to the Grenfell Tower inquiry panel have the confidence of survivors and bereaved families.

I refer the Honourable Member to the 11 May letter that the Prime Minister wrote to the Inquiry Chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, confirming her decision to appoint additional panel members gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/grenfell-tower-inquiry-update

The Prime Minister will make the appointments in accordance with sections 4,7(1)(b) and 7(2)(b) of the Inquiries Act 2005

11th May 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on Clause 11 of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office has held regular discussions with the Scottish Government on clause 11 of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill (clause 15 in the current print of the Bill). This matter was discussed with the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government, at the Joint Ministerial Committee on European Negotiations on 22 February, 8 March and 2 May 2018, at the Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary) on 14 March and at a separate trilateral meeting on 16 April 2018.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has also met with or spoken to Michael Russell, the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe in the Scottish Government, about clause 11 on a number of occasions as well as exchanging letters on the matter.

In addition, further intensive discussions have taken place at official level between the UK and Scottish Governments.

22nd Jan 2018
To ask the Prime Minister, how many times she has (a) met and (b) spoken to Mrs Arlene Foster since June 2017.

Details of my Official meetings are in the public domain and can be found on the gov.uk website.

22nd Jan 2018
To ask the Prime Minister, how many times she has spoken to Michelle O'Neill since June 2017.

Details of my Official meetings are in the public domain and can be found on the gov.uk website.

22nd Jan 2018
To ask the Prime Minister, how many official visits she has made to Northern Ireland since her appointment as Prime Minister.

I visit all parts of the United Kingdom regularly. Details of my visits within the United Kingdom are published on the gov.uk website.

27th Nov 2017
To ask the Prime Minister, when she last met with the Taoiseach; and whether at that meeting they discussed the matter of the Irish-UK border after the UK leaves the EU.

I refer the hon. Member to the press release issued on 17 November following my meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and which is available on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-meeting-with-irish-taoiseach-leo-varadkar-17-november-2017

16th Nov 2017
To ask the Prime Minister, whether she plans to invite the Prime Minister of New Zealand to visit the UK.

I refer the hon. Member to the press release issued on 20 October following my call with Prime Minister Ardern and which is available on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-call-with-prime-minister-elect-jacinda-ardern-20-october-2017

10th Oct 2017
To ask the Prime Minister, whether she plans to visit Malawi.

For security reasons, my engagements are announced as and when appropriate.

29th Oct 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions she has had with the Scottish Trades Union Congress on the effect of zero-hours contracts on the (a) income and (b) mental well-being of workers under the age of 18 in Scotland.

Ministers and officials from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy engage regularly with trade unions on all labour market issues, including zero hours contracts. We were also pleased that representatives from the Scottish Trades Union Congress attended discussions with BEIS on the Good Work Plan in Edinburgh on 26 September.

28th Oct 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of (a) Royal Mail Group and (b) the Communication Workers Union on postal workers' vote in favour of strike action.

Ministers have regular discussions with stakeholders on a number of issues.

25th Sep 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps she is taking to raise awareness of the Warm Home Discount Scheme among people who are eligible to participate in it.

The Department for Work and Pensions engage with participating energy suppliers to match the name and address details of those who fall within the “Core Group” of people automatically eligible for the Warm Home Discount and will write to them, either confirming, in the large majority of cases, that the discount will be paid automatically, or explaining that they need to verify their details with the Warm Home Discount helpline.

Notice is also provided to the public through GOV.UK, the website for the UK Government. For the “Broader Group” (those who may be eligible subject to an application) participating energy suppliers notify their customers in a variety of ways, including on their websites and some also choose to write to them or use referral bodies. Some organisations, such as Citizens Advice, also signpost eligible individuals to the scheme.

25th Jun 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the Government's price cap for standard variable tariffs on trends in the level of the average household energy bill.

The price cap protects customers on standard variable and default tariffs from excessive charging. Ofgem estimates that the price cap saves the average customer £75-£100 each year, compared to what they would be paying without the price cap, and a total of £1 billion each year. Non-capped tariffs continue to be competitive, with Ofgem calculating the difference between the most expensive and the cheapest tariff in the market at £381 in May 2019.

10th Jun 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of fuel poverty in the UK.

We welcome the Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics Report for England, published on Thursday 13 June 2019, which showed that 18,000 fewer households were in fuel poverty in 2017 compared to 2016. We also saw a 4% year-on-year decrease in the average fuel poverty gap between fuel poor and other households.

These statistics show that our policies are working. Continued delivery of energy efficiency measures, the introduction of the National Living Wage in 2016 and the prepayment meter price cap introduced in April 2017 will all have made a contribution. Next year’s projections will capture the impact of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in the private rented sector for the first time, as well as the updated Energy Company Obligation, worth £640m per year, which focuses 100% on low income and vulnerable households.

20th May 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the sustainability of the Post Office Network.

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business.

The operation and management of the Post Office Network are operational matters for Post Office Limited.

I have therefore asked Alisdair Cameron, the Group interim Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

13th May 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the level of the National Minimum Wage on the income of people in employment aged under 18.

This Government is committed to building an economy that works for everyone. Through the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage, the Government is ensuring that the lowest paid within our society benefit from their contribution to the economy.

In April 2019, an above-inflation increase in the 16-17 year old National Minimum Wage saw 38,000 young workers receive a pay rise. The rate increased by 3.6% to £4.35 per hour. Since 2015, the National Minimum Wage for the 16-17 age group has increased by 12.4%.

In the first quarter of 2019, the unemployment rate for 16-17 year olds was 19.2%, down from 28% in 2015. As noted by the Low Pay Commission in its 2018 report, for 16-17 year olds, the priority remains their effective entry into the labour market, as they are the most vulnerable age group in the labour market due to their relative lack of experience.

In 2018, approximately 2,900 workers in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill were on one of the minimum wage rates.

10th May 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the trends in the level of coal-generating electricity supplied to the national grid.

The ‘Updated Energy and Emissions Projections 2018[1] includes data on previous levels and future projections of coal-generated electricity.

There has been a rapid decline in the use of coal in power generation in recent years, from 40% in 2012 to 7% in 2017. We have seen regular periods of zero coal generation since summer 2016. Between 1 May and 8 May 2019, Great Britain went a week without coal-fired electricity generation for the first time since the Industrial Revolution. The Government has committed to phase out all unabated coal-fired electricity generation by 2025.

[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-energy-and-emissions-projections-2018

23rd Apr 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the levels of dangerous non-food products entering the UK.

The UK has a strong legal framework to protect UK consumers from unsafe goods and we will maintain those protections on exit. The Office of Product Safety and Standards is increasing its intelligence capability to monitor risks associated with goods entering the UK and ensure that enforcement interventions are properly targeted to protect consumers and provide confidence to responsible businesses.

8th Apr 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to encourage employers to offer flexible working schemes for all employees.

All employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer already have the right to request Flexible Working. This accounts for over 90% of employees.

The Government would like there to be more opportunities for flexible working, which is why we will consult on creating a duty for employers to consider whether a job can be done flexibly, and to make that clear when advertising.

The Government is also looking to work with employers on a voluntary basis. A taskforce to promote flexible working has been established. This is comprised of representatives from across Whitehall, from key organisations like Carers UK and Working Families, the TUC and key business groups. The taskforce is tackling key questions around flexible working which are key to improving the recruitment, retention and progression of key groups in the workforce.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the existing “right to request” legislation continues to have the desired impact. As part of this general commitment, it will be reviewed in 2020.

2nd Apr 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to increase the pay of workers in the (a) hospitality and (b) retail sectors.

The Government is committed to building an economy that works for everyone. We demonstrated this commitment in April by raising the National Living Wage to £8.21, a 4.9% increase from last year, and bringing in inflation-beating rises to the National Minimum Wage. An estimated 2.1 million workers will benefit from the most recent increases, and the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage worker have increased by over £2,750 since the introduction of the National Living Wage in April 2016. Latest constituency estimates from April 2018 suggest that 2,900 workers in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill were on one of the minimum wage rates.

We estimate that in the UK 429,000 workers in the hospitality sector and 347,000 workers in the retail sector will benefit from the increases in the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage from 1 April 2019.

The industry-led Retail Sector Council recently agreed its priority work areas for the next two years, one of which focuses on employment protections. A senior industry figure will lead each of these work groups and bring proposals for action for both industry and Government back to the Council for consideration. The Tourism Industry Council is also working closely with Government Ministers to help improve in-work training and progression opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector.

25th Mar 2019
Pay
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all workers on trial periods are paid.

National Minimum Wage (NMW) legislation proscribes unpaid work trials that are excessive and not part of a legitimate recruitment process.

This Government is committed to cracking down on employers who fail to pay the National Minimum or Living Wage. In the last 3 years we have almost doubled HMRC’s budget to enforce the NMW from £13.2 million to a record £26.3 million. In the 2017/18 financial year, HMRC identified a record £15.6 million in arrears for over 200,00 workers.

In December 2018, the Government published new work trials guidance that clarifies the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers.

Anyone who is concerned about an unpaid work trial can seek advice from ACAS which offers tailored advice and refers cases to HMRC, which considers every worker complaint received.

23rd Jan 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with Sony on their plans to move their European Headquarters from the UK to the Netherlands.

There have been no such discussions with BEIS Ministers and officials. Sony have confirmed that they intend to set up a subsidiary in Amsterdam as part of their EU exit contingency planning. As has been widely reported, this will not result in any jobs being lost in the UK.

Department for International Trade teams in the UK and Japan actively promote and support increasing investment and trade between Japan and the UK and will continue to do so after we leave the EU. This was discussed by both Prime Ministers during PM Abe’s recent visit to the UK.

12th Nov 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, What discussions he has had with steel companies on the effect of US steel tariffs on the UK steel sector.

My ministerial team and I have had numerous discussions with the steel sector – both as part of wider discussions and on this subject alone – since the measures were announced by the US. We and our colleagues across Government have regularly raised this issue directly with the US to make our objections clear. We have also been working closely with the EU to ensure that proportionate action is taken so that UK workers are safeguarded. We remain in regular contact with the EU and the US Administration to try to reach a positive outcome. Together with BEIS officials, I will continue to engage the UK steel and aluminium companies affected by these tariffs to provide advice and support.

3rd Sep 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of the national living wage.

The Government has set an ambitious target for achieving a National Living Wage that represents 60% of median earnings by 2020 subject to sustained economic growth. The National Living Wage (NLW) rate is recommended to the Government by the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC). To make their recommendations, the LPC draws on a wide range of analysis, including independent research and stakeholder evidence from both employers and trade unions.

From 1 April 2018 the Government raised the NLW from £7.50 to £7.83, which means a full-time worker will see their earnings grow by more than £600 this year.

20th Mar 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the number of companies, restaurant chains and shops that require staff to organise their own cover before taking leave to which they are entitled.

The Department has not made such an assessment

30th Jan 2018
What representations he has received on the attempted takeover of GKN by Melrose.

This is a commercial matter for the companies involved. I have spoken to the Chief Executives of GKN and Melrose to understand their intentions, and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The Government can intervene in mergers on certain public interest grounds concerning national security, financial stability or media plurality.

18th Dec 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the future operation of the Working Time Directive in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

The Government has firmly committed to protect workers’ rights, and the Withdrawal Bill will ensure that EU-derived employment rights, including those under the Working Time Regulations, will continue to be in force via domestic law after the UK has left the EU. On 11 December 2017, the Government published draft statutory instruments to illustrate how the proposed amendments will ensure the legal framework that provides for employment rights continues to operate effectively after exiting the EU.

The draft statutory instruments and an accompanying explanatory note can be found by searching ‘Withdrawal Bill’ on the Gov.uk website.

23rd Oct 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent ballot on industrial action at Royal Mail conducted by the Communication Workers Union; and what discussions he has had with management of Royal Mail on those implications.

The industrial dispute by Royal Mail staff is a matter for Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union. The Government encourages the parties to engage constructively to find a solution to the dispute as quickly as possible.

28th Oct 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Prime Minister on the BBC decision to change the eligibility criteria for free TV licences for people aged 75 and over.

The Prime Minister and the Secretary of State frequently discuss a wide range of issues relating to the business of the Department, including television and the media.

The Government has been clear that the future of the over 75s concession is the responsibility of the BBC, not Government. In the 2015 funding settlement, we agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession will transfer to the BBC in June 2020; this reform was then debated and agreed by Parliament in the passage of the Digital Economy Act 2017.

The Government is disappointed with the BBC’s decision to restrict the over 75s concession to only those aged over 75 and in receipt of Pension Credit. We recognise the importance of television to people of all ages, particularly for older people who value television as a way to stay connected with the world. The Secretary of State met with the Chairman of the BBC Board and the Director-General of the BBC, and asked them to do more to help those affected by its decision.

25th Sep 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the BBC's decision to change the eligibility criteria for free TV licences on the incomes of over-75s households in the UK.

The future of the over 75 concession is the responsibility of the BBC, not Government. We are very disappointed with the BBC’s decision to restrict the concession to only those aged over 75 in receipt of Pension Credit.

The BBC published research from Frontier Economics in November 2018 which looked at the potential impact of changes to the concession on those aged 75 and over. This research is available here: https://www.frontier-economics.com/media/2896/bbc-licence-fee-report-nov-18.pdf

19th Feb 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives from (a) Facebook and (b) Twitter on the removal of abusive and harmful content from their platforms.

Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with social media companies on a range of issues including the removal of harmful or abusive content.

7th Jan 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with the BBC on its public consultation on licence fees for people aged over-75.

The government regularly meets with the BBC to discuss a range of issues, including the over 75 concession.

3rd Sep 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to enable young people to participate in open access youth work.

The provision of open access youth services in Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government.

Government recognises the transformational impact that open access youth work can have especially for young people facing multiple barriers of disadvantage, that is why we have invested £40m in the Youth Investment Fund to boost open access youth services in 6 disadvantaged areas and expect over 300,000 young people to benefit.

However Local Authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide sufficient open access services in their area. We believe they are best placed to know what is required in their communities.

The Government announced in the Civil Society Strategy its commitment to reviewing the guidance which sets out the statutory duty placed on local authorities to provide appropriate local youth services. Further announcements will be made in due course.

3rd Sep 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of recent changes in the cost of train travel on sports fans.

The Government sets the limit by which train operators can increase regulated rail fares in line with July’s retail price index (RPI). This limit will be 3.2% in 2019. The Government monitors how rail fares change, and keeps under review the way fare levels are calculated. We also welcome and encourage measures by sports clubs that acknowledge and take account of the wider financial burden on travelling supporters.

3rd Sep 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve mobile and broadband coverage.

DCMS has already made superfast broadband available to more than 95% of the country through its Superfast programme, and at least a further 2% is likely to be achieved. Of which, 340,000 premises (over 1% of premises) are contracted to be delivered by March 2019. In those areas where decent broadband is not available, we are introducing a broadband Universal Service Obligation so that by 2020 everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request high-speed broadband of at least 10 Megabits per second. We will keep the speed and quality parameters under review to make sure that it keeps pace with consumers' evolving needs.

My Department created the Barrier Busting Taskforce who are working closely with local authorities and suppliers on removing obstacles that are preventing the widespread commercial deployment of full fibre connectivity.

Working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG ) we introduced 5-year business rates relief for new fibre installation. By enabling 100% business rates relief for operators who install new fibre on their networks, this will provide an incentive for operators to invest in the broadband network.

The Department also recently published a Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, which sets out our strategy to enable the roll out full fibre networks to 15 million premises by 2025 and achieve nationwide coverage by 2033. This strategy follows the creation of the Local Full Fibre Networks Programme last year, which is designed to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre networks in both rural and urban locations across the whole of the UK.

On Mobile services, the Government is committed to ensuring that the UK has good quality, consistent mobile connectivity where people live, work and travel. My Department is also working across Government, and with others, to ensure delivery of our manifesto commitment to secure 95% geographic coverage of the UK by 2022.

Alongside this work, we welcome the opportunity that Ofcom's proposed 700MHz auction presents to improve mobile coverage across the UK, including in rural area.

On 5G the Government is committed to providing the world-class digital infrastructure the UK needs to compete and grow in the modern economy. The Government’s 5G aims are to be a world leader in and to ensure that the majority of the population have access to a 5G signal by 2027.

3rd Sep 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on the UK's digital technology sector.

We are confident that the digital technology sector will continue to go from strength to strength. Research by Dealroom and Tech Nation showed that British tech businesses attracted $7.8bn of funding last year, which was almost double the amount received in 2016 and more than Germany, France and Sweden combined (https://technation.io/news/uk-tech-extends-lead-over-europe/).

It is the job of a responsible Government to prepare for all scenarios, including the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal. This does not reflect an increased likelihood of ‘no deal’.

We have engaged with the digital technology sector to understand the potential effect of all scenarios. As part of ‘no deal’ preparations we are now publishing a series of technical notices which will advise organisations on potential courses of action to take in the unlikely event of ‘no deal’ with the EU. With the first batch already published, areas such as data protection will follow shortly.

We firmly believe it is in the interests of both the EU and the UK to strike a deal. That remains the goal on both sides and we are confident that this will be achieved.

15th Jul 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the level of financial support available to university students.

Living costs support increased by 10.3% for students on the lowest incomes in the 2016-17 academic year compared to the previous system, with further inflationary increases for each year since then. The government has announced a 2.8% increase in maximum loans for living costs for the 2019-20 academic year starting in August.

An announcement on financial support for academic year 2020-21 will be made in due course.

21st Jun 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to promote learning about climate change in schools.

Topics related to climate change are included in both the science and geography curricula and qualifications. Primary school science pupils are taught about how weather changes across the four seasons, and look at how environments can change as a result of human actions.

In secondary school, science pupils are taught about the production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the effect this has on the climate. This is expanded on in GCSE science where pupils will consider the evidence for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change. As part of GCSE geography pupils will look at the causes, consequences of and responses to extreme weather conditions and natural weather hazards.

In 2017, the Department also introduced a new environmental science A level. This will enable students to study topics that will support their understanding of climate change and how it can be tackled.

25th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to improve air quality outside schools.

​Outdoor air quality is a responsibility of local authorities. Where there are concerns about air quality, a local authority must prepare an air quality action plan. The Department has recently published guidance (Building Bulletin 101) on achieving good indoor air quality in new and refurbished schools.

2nd Jul 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps is he taking to support children in need.

The government continues to implement its reform programme as set out in ‘Putting Children First’ (2016), towards our aim that all children, no matter where they live, should have access to the same high quality care and support to meet their needs. This includes stronger initial training and clarity about the knowledge and skills social workers need in their jobs and creating an environment where innovation can flourish and frontline practice is driven by evidence. The government is also taking decisive action to improve services in inadequate local authorities through our interventions programme and by implementing a new Improvement Strategy for local authorities at risk of failing.

The government recently launched a review of Children in Need, publishing extensive data on the outcomes of this cohort and launching a call for evidence, which closed on 1 July 2018. Through the Children in Need review we are continuing to build our evidence base – both on the educational outcomes of Children in Need, and on what works to improve these outcomes. To do this, we are engaging with professionals and organisations who support Children in Need and with three What Works Centres – the Education Endowment Foundation, Early Intervention Foundation, and the What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care.