Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare of (a) 11 January 2024 and (b) 20 February 2024 on behalf of a constituent on self-identifying gender.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We thank the honourable Member for Weston-super-Mare for highlighting these two letters
and apologise for the delay in responding. A response has been issued and should be with
the honourable Member now as of 26/03/2024.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what open access applications (a) are awaiting a decision from the Office of Rail and Road and (b) were approved in the last 12 months.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
There are currently 3 separate applications to run new open access services under consideration by the Office of Rail and Road: from Hull Trains to operate between Sheffield and London; Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway to operate between Wrexham and London; and Go-Op to operate between Taunton and Swindon/Weston-super-Mare. In the last 12 months, the ORR has approved Grand Union Trains’ application to run new open access services between London and Stirling, and also Grand Central’s application to make additional stops at Peterborough.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to release details of unused track access rights on the rail network so that new open access applications can be made.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail have recently updated their process to begin publishing details of all future access rights released under Part J of the Network Code on their website. The Office for Rail and Road also publish on their website details of consolidated contract and track access decisions which allow potential market entrants to identify new opportunities.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of GB intercity rail passenger services are delivered by open access operators.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail have confirmed that within the current timetable, published in December 2023, 7.16% of intercity passenger services across Great Britain are delivered by Open Access operators.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the new rail capacity created by the East Coast Main Line upgrade works will be allocated to open access rail services.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport does not specify the allocation of increased capacity. However, open access operators may apply to utilise available capacity alongside operators contracted by Government. It will then be a matter for Network Rail and the Office of Rail and Road to decide through the established systems and processes how capacity should ultimately be allocated.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support from the public purse the London and North Eastern Railway has received to maintain (a) existing railway operations and (b) timetable commitments in 2023-24.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As reported in their annual statement of accounts, London North Eastern Railway received £96 million in subsidy from the Department for Transport for the year 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of East Coast Main Line intercity passenger services are delivered by open access operators.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail have confirmed that within the current timetable, published in December 2023, 8.92% of East Coast Main Line intercity passenger services are delivered by Open Access operators.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the Online Safety Act 2023, what additional steps she plans to take to help tackle online disinformation and misinformation.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act will be our key tool in combatting the most egregious forms of online mis- and disinformation but Government action doesn’t stop there.
In addition, we are educating and empowering users through our work on media literacy, responding to information threats to our democracy via the Defending Democracy Taskforce, and analysing attempts to artificially manipulate the online information environment through the work of the National Security Online Information Team.
I regularly meet with major platforms to discuss these issues and would be very happy to update him on recent progress that has been made.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to reply to the letters of 12 January and 14 February 2024 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent about e-collars.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A reply to the hon. Member is being prepared and will be issued in due course. I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member.
The hon. Member’s constituent asks about the Government’s position on electronic shock collars, known as e-collars. I can confirm that the Government remains committed to introducing a ban on the use of e-collars. We will pursue new regulations to deliver this commitment on a revised timeline. The full reply to the hon. Member’s letters will explain the reasoning behind this position.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will plans reply to the letters of 15 January and 12 February 2024 from the Hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent about potential examples of two-tier policing in the UK.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 14 March 2024. I apologise for the delay in responding.