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
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, what proportion of GB intercity rail passenger services are delivered by open access operators.
Answered by Huw Merriman
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, 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
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 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 - Shadow Minister (Education)
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
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 - Shadow Home Secretary
A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 14 March 2024. I apologise for the delay in responding.
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, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 13 December 2023 and (b) 5 February 2024 from the Rt hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent on the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Department provided a response to the Member on 8 March, though apologises profusely for the delay experienced on this occasion.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of 18 December 2023 and 23 January 2024 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent relating to David Hemmings's film Running Scared and the British Archive.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
A reply was sent on 26 February.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whens he plans to reply to the letters of 29 November 2023 and 5 January 2024 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent about air handling in enclosed public spaces to reduce risks of infection.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
We have received the hon. Member’s correspondence of 29 November 2023 and 5 January 2024 and we will respond shortly.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business of 30 November 2023, Official Report, column 1054, what recent progress she has made on publishing the smart data roadmap.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
My officials are coordinating and leading the drafting on a roadmap which will set out the Government’s ambition for future Smart Data scheme development across seven different sectors. The Government plans to publish this in early 2024.